Return to Underland
by TheFireflyofLight
Summary: Two years after her last adventure in Underland, Alice is thrown down the rabbit hole and left for dead. As she tries to start a new life in Underland, can she figure out her feelings for a certain hatter when the Red Queen returns for revenge?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland belongs to Mr. Carrol and I suppose Disney too.**

**A/N: Not sure how to spell Alice's last name. I've seen it spelled two different ways.**

Prologue

Alice Kingsley leaned against the wooden railing of the ship. It had been two years since she had returned to Underland and a year and six months since she had left her homeland of England to sail to China. Alice stared out into the water and thought about all the friends that she had left behind in Underland: the White Queen Mirana of Marmoreal, the White Rabbit, the March Hare, Mallymkin, Tarrant Hightopp…the Hatter. Alice had continuous nightmares at night about Hatter. They were the same every night. He would appear before her when she is trapped in darkness. Then, he'll ask her the same questions.

"_Alice, why is a raven like a writing desk?"_

"_Alice, have you gotten your questions answered yet?"_

"_Alice, when are you coming back?"_

"_Alice…you haven't forgotten about me—have you?"_

She had expected the first question, but never the last one. She hadn't forgotten about any of them, especially not Hatter. She wanted to go back, but she had promised herself that she wouldn't go back until she could answer his most famous question, the one she had heard so many times. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Alice had even gone as far as asking English speaking Chinese in China that question. This always had rather rude results. They thought that she was crazy.

Alice was glad that she was returning home to London. Her mother, sister, and brother-in-law were going to meet her at the Ascot home where they were visiting for the weekend. A carriage was waiting for her when her ship arrived at the harbor. It took her to the Ascot home. Lowell and her mother were waiting for her when she arrived. Alice felt her nose wrinkle in disgust. How she hated her brother-in-law. She knew that he was still cheating on her sister.

"He'd better watch himself." Alice muttered to herself with malice. "If I catch him one more time, I'm going straight to Margaret and tell her. She deserves better."

"Alice, darling!" Alice's mother rushed to her and pulled her into a big hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, mother." Alice replied. It had been so long since she had felt her mother's warmth against her.

"Welcome home, dear Alice," Lowell said with an icy smile. Alice fought to keep a smile on her face.

"Hello, Lowell," she replied with forced pleasantry. "How are Margaret and Baby Lisey?"

"Fantastic," he said uninterestedly.

The three made their way toward the house. Lord and Lady Ascot were sitting in the garden looking at the (newly planted) red roses. Hamish and some of his old school friends were playing croquet in the yard. Margaret was sitting at the gazebo with her baby with the new nanny, Matilda, standing nearby watching them. Matilda was a very beautiful woman. She was very thin, especially since she was wearing a corset and had very round hips and a very large bosom. She had dark brown hair pinned into a very tight bun on the back of her head and very dark cold brown eyes.

"Ah, Alice," Lord Ascot rose. "How was China?"

"Simply marvelous," Alice gushed, "we've made a good decision by setting up a branch of our company there. The culture is so much richer than we believed! We're going to be making so much more money trading with them!"

Alice and her family sat down with the Ascots for tea and for the next few hours, Alice enjoyed herself. It was a pity that it wasn't meant to last. Several hours later when the sunk sank, Alice and Margaret took Baby Lisey for a walk in the garden. It was rather cool in and fog was beginning to settle. Margaret seemed unsettled that evening, but didn't say a word.

"I never spend enough time with Lisey any longer," she sighed.

"Why don't you fire Matilda?" Alice asked.

"Don't be ridiculous, Alice," Margaret said. "Fire the nanny? What a silly notion. All the proper upper class ladies have nannies for their children. Without Matilda, I'd have to watch Lisey all the time. Just wait until you get married and have babies. You'll have a nanny."

"I won't." Alice argued. "I won't dare let another woman raise m children!"

Margaret smiled and shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know what will come out of your mouth next. Are you going to leave tonight?"

"I have to. I have to get ready to work in the morning. I'll see you in the afternoon though." Alice then promised.

The sisters parted and Alice walked back to the house to get the suitcase that she hadn't sent home with the rest of her luggage. Her carriage would be there soon to get her. However, instead of waiting in the front, she ventured back to the garden and began walking to a familiar place. She wanted to see the rabbit hole, just once before leaving. The closer she got, she felt like she heard Tarrant calling her name…wait, it _wasn't_ Tarrant and it wasn't _her_ name.

"What if your wife catches us?"

"Don't worry about Margaret." Lowell assured her.

Alice couldn't believe what she saw. She knew that Lowell had joined Hamish and Matilda for a late game of croquet while she and her sister went walking with Baby Lisey. Alice watched in horror as Lowell pushed Matilda down on a large rock and tried to undo her dress. Matilda's hair was loose and spread out on the rock.

"Lowell Manchester!" Alice screamed. "How dare you! How dare you cheat on my sister again! I'm telling her right now!"

"Don't you dare, Alice!" Lowell shouted. But it was too late.

Alice dropped her suitcase and took off running. Bushes snagged her dress and ripped it, but she didn't stop. She heard Lowell run after her yelling her name. Alice might have gotten away if it she hadn't of stumbled on a tree root. She didn't fall and tried to start running. Then, she felt something strike her head and she fell unconscious on the ground.

_Lowell couldn't believe what he had done. He picked up Alice's limp upper body and shook her as harshly as he could. Matilda appeared behind him with a horrified pale face. Lowell shook Alice even harder._

"_Mr. Manchester?" Matilda asked quietly._

"_She's dead." Lowell whispered in wonder. "I killed my wife's sister."_

"_Oh God!" Matilda cried._

"_Shut up, you stupid woman!" Lowell growled. "Come on!"_

_Lowell scooped Alice's body up and carried it back to where she had caught them. He tried to think about what to do with the body. He couldn't get caught. How on earth would he explain it to his wife? That's when he saw the rabbit hole. He waved Matilda over. She came obediently. What other choice did she have? She was just as responisible for Alice's death as Lowell himself was. He told her to grab Alice's suitcase and throw it down the rabbit hole. Matilda didn't understand, but that didn't stop her. The man was surprised at how deep the hole was, but he didn't linger on that fact. He roughly held Alice upside down over the hole and dropped her in. Then, he rolled the rock over the hole. It went down only a little bit and then got wedged. No one was going to find the body. Meanwhile, the carriage came and waited for Alice, when she didn't come out it just left thinking that she must have decided to stay the night after all. Her mother and sister thought that she had already left. Lowell fired Matilda the next morning when she threatened to go to his wife and tell her that he had killed her sister…_

**A/N: Don't worry, Alice isn't **_**really**_** dead.**


	2. One

**Disclaimer: Once again, Alice in Wonderland doesn't belong to me.**

**A/N: Wow, I can't believe so many people have this on Story Alert! I'm really flattered.**

One

_"Alice! Alice!"_

_"Is she dead?"_

_"Oh no! Someone get the White Queen!"_

_"I'll go get Hatter!"_

Alice awoke on the cold floor. Her head ached badly and she had trouble remembering where she was. Then she remembered. Lowell! That cowardly rat must have bludgeoned her in the head and left her for dead! Then she realized where she was. Her head couldn't help but skip a beat. She was back in Underland. It was then when her brother-in-law's reasoning made since. Clearly he saw that the rabbit hole was deep. When she hit her, he must have thought that he had killed her. So, he threw her down the rabbit hole. She crawled over to where she had come through the floor and looked down. It had been blocked off. She couldn't even see the surface. Then, she smiled. If this was to be her prison, then she wouldn't mind her life sentence.

"I wonder what Hatter is doing right now," she said without realizing it. "Well, I'm not going to forget the key like I did last time."

This time, Alice had a plan. She took the key and put it in the tiny keyhole of the small door. Then, she opened the door and pushed her suitcase out of it. Luckily, the suitcase was just small enough to get by the door. Then, she slipped the cake out of the door next to her suitcase. Feeling confident, Alice drank just enough of the potion to walk out of the door. Gathering up her too-big clothes, she walked out of the upside-down room. She took a bite of the cake—just one bite—and she was back to her right size. With a wide smile that rivaled the Cheshire Cat, she picked up her suitcase and started walking.

* * *

Mallymkun scurried back to the doorway. Bayard, Nivens, Mirana, and Tarrant followed behind her. Mally looked in the keyhole to see if Alice was still unconscious or if she was awake and trying to get out. To her surprise, the room was empty. She squeaked and turned around.

"She's gone!"

"How long did you leave her?" Tarrant asked. His normally green eyes seemed to turn darker by the second due to worry, fear, even anger. Even a mad person like him could see that someone should have stayed with her to see if she was alright.

"Long enough to get you!" Mallymkun assured him.

"Tarrant," Mirana assured him, "she couldn't have gotten far. No doubt that she'll find her way to Mamoreal."

This was enough to comfort the loony hat maker. Once again, Tarrant Hightopp was happy…on the outside anyway. Deep down, he wondered where Alice had gone. Didn't she know he was coming to see her? _I hope she didn't forget me_, he thought glumly.

* * *

Alice walked on and on through the forest. She couldn't help but think about how lucky she was. To be bludgeoned on the head and thrown down a hole to be left for dead was a sure way to get one killed. Alice was glad that she didn't die.

"Alice! What a pleasant surprise!" Alice whirled around looking for the voice. A wide grin and dark green eyes appeared before her soon followed by a body.

"Chessur!" Alice smiled again. "It's so wonderful to see you! I've missed you!"

"It was not foretold that you would come back." Chessur floated in the air doing circles around Alice.

"Where is Hatter?" Alice asked ignoring his previous statement.

"Tarrant Hightopp? Well, he's neither here nor there, near nor far." Chessur paused, pleased with his answer. Alice stopped and frowned. The cat stopped and chuckled. "He should be going to the White Queen's castle as soon as he's done looking for you."

"He's looking for me?" Alice asked. "It would be stupid if I looked for him. I'll wait for him at the castle. Will you take me there, Chessur?"

"Are you sure that you want to go there? It would be wiser if you waited here for him." The Cheshire Cat asked. Alice was firm. "Alright, suit yourself. Follow me."

Alice followed the direction the cat went knowing this time that he would disappear every now and then. She followed him through the woods and soon enough she saw the white castle of Mamoreal. She ran to it without realizing that Chessur was no longer behind her. Soon she would be with her Hatter. It didn't matter to her how mad he was. Alice entered the castle and looked for the throne room so that she could tell the White Queen that she was here. But she got lost. Alice wondered how she had gotten lost so easily. She kept going down and down into the castle until she reached a corridor that had no windows. She heard an angry voice that reminded her of the Red Queen.

"That damned Alice!"

"How can you say that, Minerva? She saved all of Underland when she killed the Jabberwocky," a timid voice replied.

"She's all anyone ever talks about! It's 'Alice this' and 'Alice that'. The White Queen adores her and she's all Hatty talks about!"

Alice gently pushed the door open. This woman obviously hated her. She wanted to get a good look at her. The door let out a long loud squeak as Alice opened it. Everyone turned and looked at Alice who didn't dare move. A tall plump woman with red hair that was almost as red as the Red Queen's marched towards her. Her eyes were a steel grey and her face was contorted into a look of pure hatred. It was only when she got right in front of Alice when Alice realized that she was only a few inches taller than this woman.

"Who are you? This is the private servants quarters!"

"I…" Alice paused. She knew that it would not be a good thing if she told them she was the one they were gossiping about. She was actually afraid of this woman. "My name is Lisey," she lied, "I was told to come down here…I'm a new maid."

"They told you to come here," the woman smirked, "of course they did. I'm the boss around here. Queen Mirana put me in charge of the servants so she wouldn't worry about that while she was ruling the kingdoms. Alright then, let me fix up your contract and I'll put you to work."

Alice followed the woman farther down into the dark corridor to a small office. The woman introduced herself as Minerva and shoved a thick book-like packet at her. Alice signed _Lisey_ on all the papers except for the last line on the last page. Without thinking about it, she had gotten distracted and signed _Alice Kingsley_. Minerva didn't notice and put the packet away. She gave Alice a pure cream colored dress and a pure white apron. Alice quickly put them on and followed the woman out of the room. She took Alice to a corridor even near the dungeons. Minerva explained that they were the servant's quarters and she was to share a room with ten other servants. The problem was that the room was very cramped and very drafty. She pointed to a small bed in the corner and told Alice it was her and pointed to a very tiny dresser beside the bed and told her that her clothes would go there.

"You'll work at sunup and you can stop at sundown unless your work is done. We'll pay you eight bills an hour, how does that sound?"

"Great," Alice said smiling.

A new plan formulated in her head. She would wait a little while before reuniting with Hatter. That way, she would earn enough money so that she wouldn't be a burden. She would have her own job and have the ability to support herself. A dark thought floated in her head that weighed down her happy mood for the rest of the evening. She would have given anything to have her old job back. Sailing on the _Wonder_ was a lot more glamorous than scrubbing floors in the White Queen's castle.

The next morning at dawn, the White Queen left to look for Alice with Tarrant Hightopp. Alice, however, woke up and got dressed. She followed a couple of other servants and began her chores. She was to scrub the throne room floor, wash the windows, clean the White Queen's bedroom and wash and dry all her linens. Alice never felt the effects of her comfy upper class lifestyle until she had gone through a few hours of hard labor. Her back ached and her hair kept getting in her way and became more knotted and unruly than ever. Every time she tried to get it out of her way, she would only manage to get more soaked and disheveled.

"I look like a mess," she moaned to herself. Someone chuckled. Alice looked up and saw a man polishing the royal jewels across the room.

"Having trouble, Lisey?"

"A little," Alice replied. He stopped and approached her. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a string. Alice tilted her head as he went behind her. She felt him pull her hair up and realized he was tying it up for her.

"Better?"

"Much!" Alice chirped, "Thank you. H-How did you know my name?"

"I was in the room with Minerva when you appeared yesterday. I'm Kaden, Kaden Moreston. Do you have a last name? Many people in Underland don't."

"No," Alice said quickly, "I don't."

Kaden didn't say anything and offered her a hand up. He was a very handsome man with pale skin and very pale blonde hair and green eyes. His hair was long, to his shoulders, and he seemed to kind to be a servant that lived below the castle.

"I'm not sure if anyone has told you yet," Kaden said, "but welcome to Mamoreal."

With those few words, the man turned back to finish his job. Alice forced a smile on her face. She knew that she had found her first real friend among the servants. With the smile firmly in place, Alice went back to work.

Hours later, Alice was almost done. All she needed to do was hand up three more of the White Queen's dresses and she could rest.

"Lisey," Minerva said from the doorway, "you've done a fine job!"

"Thank you, Minerva," Alice said hanging the dresses up. She smiled as she turned around to face the woman. Minerva was standing next to the queen's bed with her back to Alice.

"I'm afraid, however," she sighed, "I'm going to have to dock your day's pay."

"Why?" Alice gasped wide-eyed. Minerva turned around and smiled wickedly.

"Because you ruined the queen's bedding. Now, you'll have to scrub the stain out."

The wicked woman showed Alice the bowl of green liquid in her hands and poured its contents onto the White Queen's comforter. The blonde could only watch in horror, yet couldn't help but realize that it was the same thing she saw the March Hare cook up the day she first came to this castle.

"Now get to work!" Minerva shouted. She turned around and left the room.

"I _hate_ that bloody woman!" Alice said angrily pulling the comforter off the bed. As she stormed out of the room, she vocalized a new list of seemingly impossible things.

"First thing: There is a place called Underland, which seems perfectly wonderful. Second thing: Underland is not as wonderful as it appears. Third thing: A talking cat led me to a beautiful white castle. Fourth thing: I have to clean that castle. Fifth thing: There is a woman that treats her employees terribly in the beautiful white castle in Underland." Alice paused, anger both building in her and fuiling her, "Sixth thing," she added through clenched teeth. "There is a woman I hate more than the Red Queen and my cheating lazy brother-in-law!!!" She screamed the last word so loudly that people in the castle swear that people in the land of Crims could hear her.


	3. Two

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland does not belong to me…unfortunately.**

**A/N: I'm surprised by how popular this is getting in only 24 hours. Thanks guys. **

Two

Alice scrubbed the floor quickly. The dining hall was huge and there were only seven people in there to clean it. Two for scrubbing floors, one for polishing silver, two for scrubbing windows, and two for washing the white curtains and table cloth. The White Queen was throwing a dinner party that evening and everything had to be perfect or Minerva would dock their pay. Alice snorted at the thought. It had been fourteen days since she had signed the contract and she hadn't earned a single bill. Kaden told her on her second day that Minerva always went behind the servants and sabotaged them. Some people had been working there for years since Minerva had begun working and they hadn't seen a single paycheck. Alice was furious. She hated Minerva. After two weeks, she was sure that she would rather be tortured by the Red Queen than work for Minerva another second. Alice plunged the brush back into the bucket. She looked up and saw Kaden standing by the cracked door.

"What are you looking at?" Alice got up and walked beside him.

"The White Queen's back." Kaden replied.

"Do you like her?" Alice asked. "I'm mean, do you fancy her?"

"What a dumb thing to say," Kaden said walking away. Alice couldn't help but notice his cheeks were pink.

"Why?" Alice demanded. "Why is it a dumb thing to say?"

"Queens marry nobles. Servants marry servants," he shrugged, "That's the way things are done here."

"Who…who marry hatters?" Alice asked. Kaden looked at her in surprise.

"Like Tarrant Hightopp? Another mad person I suppose."

Alice knelt down by her bucket and took out the brush. Slowly, she began scrubbing again. She supposed it made sense. Nobles married nobles, servants married servants, mad people married other mad people. Alice sighed. It made sense, but it shouldn't. Things that made sense didn't belong in Wonderland.

"She's in love with him?" Kaden said suddenly.

"Who's in love with whom?" Alice asked.

"Minerva's in love with the Hatter." Kaden said. "Every time he comes her since Alice left, she's flirted with him, practically throws herself at him. She's boasted that she's going to marry him."

"So she's mad?" Alice said with a grin.

"Has to be," he replied with a chuckle, "look how she treats us."

Alice felt something lurch inside of her stomach. She had never felt that way before. She bared down harder on the brush and scrubbed with a sudden fierceness. Then it hit her. She was jealous! Alice Kingsley was jealous of a terrible woman who was in love with _her_ hatter. She stopped. No, Hatter wasn't _her _hatter. Hatter was his own hatter. Hatter wasn't anyone else's hatter. Still, that didn't stop the feeling of jealousy spreading throughout her body. Minerva was a terrible nasty woman. She didn't deserve someone as sweet and wonderful as Hatter.

* * *

"Thank you again, Nivens," Mirana said to the White Rabbit. "I needed an advisor so terribly."

"I just can't believe you waited so long," he chuckled. He carried a packet over to the White Queen. "Here is the new maid contract that Minerva had in her office."

Mirana took the packet and flipped through it. She mused on the name of the new maid, Lisey. She flipped through the pages for a few moments looking for errors and didn't see any. She was about to close it and hand it back to Nivens when she saw something that surprised her. On the very last line on the very last page, Lisey had made a mistake.

"So that's where she is," she said aloud. She read the name on the line again for herself. "Alice Kingsley. Tarrant will be glad that she's alright."

"Alice is working in the castle!" Nivens said looking over the queen's shoulder. "Why on Earth would she do that? Why did she put down a false name?"

The White Queen was very quiet for a few minutes. She pondered on Alice's reasons for not letting anyone know who she really was. She decided that something must be wrong with her. She must have a reason.

"I suppose we can wait and tell Tarrant another time," she said. "Let's just keep this a secret between us until Alice is ready to tell us herself."

"Your Majesty," Nivens said uneasily, "are you sure that this is a good idea?"

"Of course," Mirana said. "Now let's get ready for the party."

* * *

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Kaden said.

It was evening and the servants were eating their dinners under the castle while the White Queen's party was starting upstairs. Alice had caught a glimpse of Hatter and the March Hare walk in followed by Mallymkun. She had wanted to at least say hello, but then Minerva had appeared and shoved her down the stairs to the servants' quarters before running off to begin flirting with Hatter.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Alice asked him.

"What an odd thing to ask," Kaden said, "I don't know." To Alice's surprise, he began musing on it. No one that she had ever asked had ever pondered on that question. "I suppose they both have inky feathers…and they both have legs."

"Yes, I suppose they do." Alice said. "They don't have the letter _N_…but they have the letter _B_."

She smiled confidently. After two years, she finally had the answer to the riddle that had plagued her dreams since her last visit to Underland. She couldn't wait to tell Hatter. She drug her spoon through the dark green-orange slimy food in front of her. She imagined that the guests at the White Queen's dinner party were eating much better than the servants down below them.

"It isn't fair that we aren't treated better. Minerva gets to eat upstairs at the party and we're eating…what _is_ this anyway?"

"Vmbilkat."

"Oh."

Alice took a bite of the vmbilkat and gagged. It tasted so terrible it made the shrinking potion taste sweet. She grimaced and took another bite. Even worse.

"Why doesn't anyone quit," she asked Kaden.

"Things are better than ever," he replied eating, "new businesses are popping up everywhere. Take Tarrant Hightopp for example. After Alice left, he started a hat shop and it does good business. But the problem is everyone here is scared. A lot of people have been working here since long before Alice first came to Underland. This is all these people have known, Lisey. We used to get paid before Queen Mirana hired Minerva."

"Why hasn't anyone told her what Minerva is doing?" Alice asked. Kaden laughed bitterly.

"Who would believe servants like us?"

Alice looked out the window. An idea came to her. She looked back at Kaden and grinned. She couldn't believe that she hadn't thought of it sooner. She was _Alice_, the White Queen's champion. She would rally up the servants and together, and they would all go to her and tell her about what Minerva was doing. Surely the Queen would at least listen to her.

"Let's bring everyone together!" Alice suggested. "We'll form a rally and go see the queen together. She can't ignore all of us. Even if she does, she'll listen to me."

"Why you?" Kaden asked.

"Because," Alice confessed, "I lied about my name. I didn't want Minerva to know who she was because she seemed to hate me so much. _I'm_ Alice!"

She didn't realize how loudly she had said it until she heard several people gasp. Some female servants said that they _knew _that she was the real Alice. Alice suggested her idea again. This time, everyone agreed that maybe she was right. Maybe it was time to get rid of Minerva once and for all. Together, they began formulating their plan. They would wait one month for the White Queen's grand ball when all of her subjects would be there. Then, they would sneak some Pishsalver and Upelkuchen in case they needed it. They would make sure that they had a grand audience to announce what Minerva was doing to them.

"I'll go get them tonight and we'll hide them in here." Alice said.

"I'll be right behind you. I just need to ask someone a favor first." Kaden said.

Alice got up and walked out of the room. For the first time in days, she felt completely blissful. The halls of the White Queen's palace were dark except for glimmers of light coming from underneath doors and beams of moonlight coming from the windows. She was about to open the kitchen door when she heard voices.

"Oh, Hattie," she heard Minerva sigh. "I'm so sorry to hear that Alice has not appeared. She's probably found herself a little boyfriend and is hiding out with him."

"Alice? No, no," Hatter began to say. Alice gasped. Minerva was putting bad ideas about her in his head!

"Shh," Minerva shushed. "Now, Hattie dear, you don't really love Alice. Do you? Alice held her breath, but wasn't sure why.

"I don't—," Hatter began to say and stopped. Alice peeked through the door and suddenly couldn't breathe.

What Alice saw through the window was Minerva thrown against the Mad Hatter's body. Her lips were smashed against his. Alice started trembling. Her bottom lip had begun quivering and her cheeks had become wet. As much as she wanted to go into the kitchen to get the items for the servants, her legs carried her away from the kitchen at an increasing speed. She didn't stop until she found herself in the stables. Tears were still streaming down her pale face as she passed the stalls. A tiny smile found its way to her face when she saw her old friend the Bandersnatch. It lifted its head and acknowledged her. Alice carefully opened the stall and let herself in, making sure to shut the door behind her. She lay down next to him and buried her face in his warm white fur.

"Kaden was right," she sobbed, "Nobles marry nobles, servants marry servants, and…" She couldn't finish her sentence. Hatter didn't love her, he loved Minerva. She began a new list of impossible things. "One: there is a place called Underland, or Wonderland, which is filled with many wonderful things. Two: it is _definitely_ not as wonderful as it seems. Three: there is a cake that makes you grow. Four: there is a potion that makes you shrink. Five: there is a man…a wonderful man that is beautiful and crazy that loves a horrible, cruel woman. Six: I am absolutely, without a doubt, uncontrollably in love with him!" Alice buried her head in his fur again and began sobbing uncontrollably. "I want to go home! I want to be back with my mother and my sister! This is all Lowell's fault! I am in prison!"

Finally, Alice fell asleep.


	4. Three

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland © Lewis Carrol and Disney…I think Disney anyway.**

Three

Alice awoke the next morning with a terrible headache. Her hair was disheveled and when she reached up to touch her hair, she saw that she had long pieces of hay stuck in it. She sat up and looked around her. She realized with mild surprise that she was still in the Bandersnatch's stall. Then she remembered what she had seen the previous night. She realized that Hatter, _her_ Hatter, did not love her. He was in love with that monstrous woman. Minerva had won. Tarrant Hightopp was hers.

"Thank you for letting me sleep in here, Bandersnatch." Alice whispered. "I have to go now."

She stood up unsteadily and exited the stall. She felt like she wanted to cry, but no tears came. She had cried and cried the night before until all the tears she had had finally left her. She moved slowly and quietly through the castle, she felt like a ghost. She had no emotions. All her sadness, happiness, anger…all her emotions peeled off her with every step she took. Alice felt broken, but that was okay. Maybe she had finally become mad. What else explained why she wouldn't cry, why she wasn't sad, or happy, or angry…

"Alice!" Kaden rushed towards her. "Where were you? We were all looking for you last night…what happened to you?" He began picking hay out of her hair.

"I slept in the stables. I…I went to the kitchens last night to get that potion and the cake and I saw Minerva and the Hatter in there. I overheard them talking and she asked him if he loved me. He said he didn't. When I looked through the window, I saw them kissing. I ran away." Alice said. "I think I've gone mad. Who marries mad maids?" She looked at Kaden.

"I…I don't know," he confessed. "Another mad servant? Alice…I wish I could say something to cheer you up."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Alice said firmly. "I don't want to be sad anymore."

"Not talking about it won't help," Kaden said, but let her be.

That day, Alice cleaned with extra vigor. Slowly, her emotions came back. The strongest emotion was the one that kept her from crying again. It was her anger that kept her going on when her heart felt like it was breaking more and more with every beat it took. The anger felt so wonderful to Alice. She was angry with Minerva, she was angry with Hatter, but more importantly, she was angry with herself. She was a fool to have believed that he would ever feel the same way about her. She was a stupid lovesick girl from the Overlands that abandoned him for China and new places. He deserved a woman that would stay and love and take care of him…just not a woman like Minerva.

Speaking of Minerva…Alice had to admit that the next day Minerva was treating them much better. She almost even paid everyone that day—almost. She wore a huge smile on her face and loudly bragged about how Hatter had kissed her the night before at the dinner party. Alice was angry, but she didn't do anything. She promised herself that when the night of the White Queen's Grand Ball, she would get even with Minerva. Then, she would find a better job…or, she would stay. If Mirana fired Minerva, the servants would be paid. Alice wouldn't mind working for the White Queen if she got paid for breaking her back every day.

"Do we ever get a day off?" Alice asked Kaden later that afternoon.

"Yeah," he laughed, "once a week on our payday."

"I should have known," Alice growled.

"Alice," he said, "let's make a promise right here and now. Let's promise that when we get Minerva sacked, let's agree to go to the beach for a day off once a month."

"The beach?" Alice said. "Yeah! It's a promise!" Alice didn't admit it, but it had been a very long time since she had gone to the beach. The last time she had gone to the beach was the last summer before her father died. It was one of her favorite places back home. She couldn't help but wonder what Underland beaches were like. "Let's go after we get Minerva sacked to celebrate!"

* * *

To Alice's surprise, she began healing. Each day, the aching pain in her chest went away a little more. She, like the rest of the servants, would work during the day and put up with Minerva tampering with their work in order to keep their paychecks. However at night, they would meet somewhere secret and they would plot. Alice found that ever since she caught Hatter and Minerva together, she was putting her heart and soul into this revolt. This wasn't just a fight for better treatment for the servants, the backbone of the castle, this was much more. To Alice, this was her revenge against Minerva. This was her way of getting rid of her so she could claim her Hatter. Well, at least that was the plan so far. To be honest, she really hadn't had things planned out past the Grand Ball. No one else really knew what they would do either. No one dared to make a plan in case they failed. They knew that there was a chance that the White Queen believed Minerva over them. They wanted absolutely zero negative thinking to ruin them. The kitchens were now off limits after dark now, so they knew that they would not be able to get the potion or cake after all.

"What if Minerva finds out," Dita moaned. Alice usually liked her. She and her sister, Ailia, reminded her of the Chataway sisters back in London. They were usually very bubbly and bright, but tonight they were nervous and anxious. One's mood impacted the other very strongly. It was impossible to see one sad or happy without seeing the other in a similar mood.

"She won't!" Kaden snapped. He too was very nervous. "You had better keep your mouth shut! If she does find out, she'll go to Queen Mirana and convince her that Alice and I are plotting against her. Remember, only we know who Alice really is. We'll be banished like Stayn and the Red Queen!"

Dita fell quiet, but Ailia spoke next, "What if we fail?" Several other people murmured similar objections.

"If we fail," Alice said quietly, "I'll die."

This surprised everyone. Normally, Alice was very quiet during their meetings. Everyone had noted her sudden change in mood since she had disappeared that one night, but no one but Alice and Kaden knew where she had gone and why. Ever since then, Alice disappeared after hours frequently. Sometimes she would only be gone for a few minutes, other times she was gone for a few hours, other times yet she would be gone until sunup. However, there were rare occasions when Alice disappeared for a day or so. Minerva would be furious when Alice reappeared, but that never bothered the young woman. She was not afraid of Minerva, definitely not now. Everyone saw those rare day-long disappearances as an act of rebellious disobedience. Alice never told anyone where she went, not even Kaden.

"Die?"

"Figuratively," Alice replied emptily. "I might leave. The tailor said he'd give me a job if I decide to quit," she suddenly revealed. "I've learned to sew and I can be of some help to him. There are other positions if any of you are interested. I heard the hatter is looking for employees as well."

"Not him!" Ailia gasped. "He's mad! He'd probably pay in broken tea cups!"

Alice looked out the window and stared out at the gardens. She liked it when they met in the highest room of the castle's tallest tower, especially when the moon was full and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. She had perfect view of the White Queen's beautiful pristine gardens. She didn't say a single word for the rest of the meeting.

"Are you going to eat tomorrow?" Kaden asked when everyone was gone. Alice looked at him. "You barely pick at your food since the dinner party. That's not very healthy."

"Neither is the food they serve us." Alice replied blankly.

"You aren't you anymore. Maybe you are Lisey, nothing but a blank hollow shell," he said bitterly, "You're shriveling away into nothing, Alice. Your uniform is getting baggier on you every day, your hair is becoming dull and limp, you have dark circles under your eyes now. You keep disappearing and you don't seem to care that everyone is worried about you."

"I don't need babysitters."

"We're not being babysitters." Kaden argued. Then, his voice became tender. "We're family here. We're all each other has got. That's something you've failed to remember. The Hatter hurt you, but that doesn't give you permission to take it out on us. We want to help you."

"I won't tell you how to live your life," Alice said sternly, "so please stay far away from mine." She got up from her place and began to walk out of the room.

"Disappearing again?" Kaden asked harshly. "Was he really that important to you?"

Instead of answering, Alice kept walking and soon disappeared within the shadows.

* * *

Minerva didn't move from her spot in the dark corner. Lisey didn't notice her as she slowly walked out of the tower. Kaden appeared soon after. She knew that they were the masterminds behind the plot to have her fired! Anger filled her entire body as she walked down the hall. She hadn't heard very much of their conversations, but the whispers among the servants were enough for her. Then she heard Kaden's statements: "_The Hatter hurt you_" and "_Was he really that important to you?_" So, Lisey had an eye on Tarrant Hightopp as well. She had admired him for two years and she wasn't going to let some blonde tramp with a pretty face take him away. It was bad enough that Alice had returned. Luckily, she had had sense enough to disappear. Minerva wouldn't let her take the Hatter from her. Alice had her chance, it was her turn now. But now, she had to concentrate on the servant's upcoming revolt.

"So," she said aloud, "they're going to rebel against me, eh?" Minerva laughed aloud. "I know their kind. They're bloody sheep. They'll follow whoever their shepherd is. All I have to do is lock both of them up and they'll do whatever I say!" Doubt suddenly filled her. "But then again, I think I'll lock Lisey and Kaden up in separate ends of the dungeon and lock the rest up in the servants' corridor. Then, I'll take care of the ringleaders after the ball." A cold evil cackle emitted from her throat.

"Yes, I think arranging a little accident for little Kaden in the stables would work nicely. As for that man-stealer," Minerva pulled a bottle of arsenic from her apron pocket. "A few drops of this in her tea will do wonders."

A wide smile spread across her face. Kill the leaders and the followers will follow a new leader. It always worked. She thought of all the money stacked up in her desk from docking all the servants' pay. It was good to be boss. Minerva thought about the arsenic in her pocket and the knife under her mattress. _I do wish Alice would come for a little visit_,she thought joyfully, _a little arsenic and a quick stabby-stabby would be a nice payback for getting my beloved queen banished. Not having any competition for Hattie would be a great bonus too!_ Yes, it was good to be boss.

* * *

**A/N: And just when everyone thought that I couldn't make Minerva any eviler. BTW, Alice's last line is actually the first line from "Running out of Time" from the Almost Alice Soundtrack. It sorta went with the story line as I was writing it. Thank you all for all the reviews! I'm trying to reply to all of them, but if I don't, please forgive me! Thanks for reading this! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!**


	5. Four

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland belongs to Mr. Lewis Carroll and Disney…and Tim Burton now that I think about…anyway, it's not mine unfortunately. If it was, Alice wouldn't have left.**

Four

Alice pushed on the suitcase lid once more and it finally shut. She didn't remember having _that_ many dresses when she first came to Underland. She picked up the suitcase and slid it underneath her bed. She was ready to leave the castle and go to the tailor's shop after the revolt was done with. She would miss the new friends that she had made at the castle, but would be happy to have a well paying job at the tailors shop. Alice smiled at the thought. She stood up and smoothed all the wrinkles out of the skirt of her dress. Then, she picked up her apron from its spot on her bed and put it on making sure to tie it tight.

"If this all goes well," she said to herself, "I'll have my money and a new job by morning."

Alice exited the servant's quarters and walked to the stables. She and Kaden had agreed that if the door to the ballroom had been locked, they would need something strong to break down the door since getting the shrinking potion from the kitchen cabinet, which Minerva had informed them that she was locking a month before the revolt was supposed to have happened. So, Alice proposed that they unleashed the Bandersnatch. That way, they would have someone with enough power to get them into the ballroom if they needed to. As soon as she was near enough to his stall, she broke out into a sprint. The bandersnatch lifted his head and looked at her. She unlocked his stall and let him out.

"Stay here until I come back," she told him. "I'll be right back if we need you." _Maybe I should take him with me when I leave_, she then thought. "Stay."

Alice raced to the front hall. She couldn't believe that she was already late to their meeting. However, when she got there, she was shocked to see that no one was there. None of the other servants or Kaden could be seen. A feeling of uneasiness spread over her. No one had changed the rendezvous spot or the time. Had they been caught? Had they changed their mind? No, Alice decided. She knew how everyone felt about what they were going to do. They wouldn't chicken out; at least, not _everybody_ especially not Kaden.

"Lisey!" She heard someone shout. Alice's heart stopped. It was Minerva!

"M-M-Minerva!" Alice stammered.

"I've been looking for you all evening," Minerva snapped. "Queen Mirana needs someone to go down to the dungeons. She has a problem that needs taken care of."

"O-Okay," Alice said.

Minerva grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the dungeon. She had a terrible feeling that she shouldn't have trusted Minerva. The older woman dragged Alice deep into the dungeon and down three floors from the dungeon. Alice had never seen a three floor dungeon before. Finally, they reached the very last floor at the end of the very last hall. They got to the very last door at the end of the hall. Unlike the other cells, this one was completely made of stone, even the door. Next to the door was a circular handle that was a large and rusty. Alice suddenly felt very apprehensive. Minerva reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a large key ring and unlocked the door. Suddenly, her grip on Alice's wrist tightened.

"Lisey," she said. "I must confess something to you."

"What's that?" Alice asked.

"Queen Mirana didn't have a problem that needed taken care of." Minerva said. "I did."

"What was that?"

"This little maid," Minerva chuckled, "tried to take my servants away. She organized a revolt in which she wanted to tell the queen lies about me. But I'm not worried."

"Y-you aren't?" Alice asked uneasily.

"No." Minerva replied smoothly. "In fact, this little maid, this little _harlot_, tried to take away a man I'm very much in love with. This man does not love me…yet, but I'm not going to let this maid take her away from me. Lisey, do you know what I'm going to do to that maid?"

"What?" Alice asked weakly.

"I'm going to stick her in this cell and turn this handle. When that happens, water will go into the cell. She and her little co-conspirator will drown. Drown and die."

Minerva flung the door open and threw Alice in. Alice hit the ground hard and injured her shoulder. She scrambled to get up, but it was too late. Minerva slammed the door shut and locked it. The floor was six feet from the door handle and Alice couldn't reach it unless she jumped. Suddenly, a loud squealing noise made her jump. Cold water began gushing into the room. Alice jumped and tried to open the door.

"Alice," Kaden sighed, "It's no use. We're going to die. Minerva's won." He put a hand to his forehead. There was a large gash there and it was bleeding heavily.

"She…she can't win." Alice said. "She can't!" _Hatter doesn't love her_, she thought. He may not love her, but it was better than him not loving her but loving Minerva.

"That woman is madder than Tarrant and that's really saying something."

Alice looked up to see a pair of blue green eyes looking down at her accompanied with a wide grin. Alice sighed in relief. The water was now down to her knees.

"Chessur!" Alice sighed. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"I bet you wished that you had listened to me." Chessur said, the rest of his body appearing. "I bet you wished that you had waited in the forest after all."

"Please," she begged, "please help us."

"I don't like water."

"We'll do anything!" Kaden promised. Chessur looked intrigued.

"Anything?" He asked Alice. She hesitated for a minute, then nodded.

"Anything," she said just loud enough to be heard over the rushing water. The water was now up to her stomach now.

"I want Tarrant's hat, the one he wears all the time." Chessur said. "Agree to get it for me and I'll unlock the door."

"Fine!" Alice said. "Let us out and I'll steal Hatter's hat." She knew that she would feel guilty about stealing from the hatter, but her life seemed more important to her at the moment than her morals.

Chessur smiled and disappeared. Alice closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Chessur had helped her before. She had even saved Hatter's life when the Red Queen wanted to behead him. She trusted him. She had no choice but to trust him. Meanwhile, the water level in the cell was rising and rising. It past her stomach, then her chest, then her shoulder, and then passed her neck. She had to start swimming in able to keep her head afloat. Kaden seemed to be struggling beside her and cursed aloud. Both hoped that Chessur would be back soon. If he didn't, they would drown. Drown and die.

Finally, the water was only inches away from the ceiling. Alice managed to take one last gasp before the room was filled completely with water. Just as she had begun losing hope, the door opened. Water flooded into the hall and she and Kaden were left in the hall sputtering madly trying to catch their breath. The Cheshire Cat floated into the air gasping for air. Like Alice and Kaden, he was completely soaked.

"And here I was hoping that I wouldn't have to get wet!" Chessur moaned. "You had better remember your promise, Alice."

"I will." Alice promised. "Thank you, Chessur." She turned to Kaden. "Where are the others."

"She locked them in the servants' corridor," he replied.

"Let's get the Bandersnatch and free them," she said. "We've still got time. We can still stop Minerva!"

* * *

Mirana couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight before her. While she did not know the woman she had put in charge of the servants very well, she thought that Minerva was a very responsible woman. However, she appeared to have a "little" crush on Tarrant Hightopp. Ever since she had appeared to the ball, she had latched onto Tarrant's arm and refused to let go. Mirana and Nivens, even Mallymkun to an extent, thought it was cute. Tarrant thought otherwise. However, he was too much of a gentleman to shove her away.

"Mirana," he said, "I've been investigating things that begin with the letter T."

"Top hat?" Mirana guessed coyly. "Tonsils, tomatoes…"

"Torture." Tarrant said.

"Hattie," Minerva giggled. "What an odd thing to say."

"On second thought," Tarrant then said, "I've been investigating words that start with H…or M." He flashed her a look that read "I'm feeling rather desperate at the moment."

"Really?" Mirana said. She knew Tarrant rather well. The words were "help" and "murder". "Minerva, would you be a dear and get me something to drink?"

"Right away, Queen Mirana," Minerva said letting Tarrant's arm go for the first time all evening. He rubbed the spot where his arm was.

"I wonder if it is possible to gnaw one's arm off," he said.

"I think it's sweet that she has a little crush on you." Mirana said.

"I think she's madder than I am!" The hatter exclaimed with wide eyes. "She's been asking me questions about her and then during the dinner party months ago, she drug me into the kitchen and asked me if I loved Alice. Before I could answer, she kissed me!"

"What were you going to answer?" Mirana asked innocently. Nivens and Mally listened intently.

"I…I don't know. That's what I was going to tell her."

Just then, Minerva returned with Mirana's drink. The band began a new song and she drug him across the room to dance. He flashed Mirana a desperate look as he was dragged away against his will. Mally let out a small laugh. The queen and her advisor looked down at the tiny dormouse.

"If she had been here and on Hatter's arm," Mallymkun said, "I don't think that Hatter would have minded as much. But, I guess there is only room in Hatter's heart to love one woman, even if he doesn't know it." The three looked at each other then at the miserable hatter. Then, they said the woman's name.

"Alice."

Just then, a loud banging noise was heard and the doors flew off of their hinges. Mirana looked up just in time to see a familiar face walk through the door.

* * *

Alice paused only long enough to tell the Bandersnatch to remain at the doorway then led the rest of the servants to Queen Mirana. The White Queen was not angry. Instead, she smiled kindly and gently took Alice's hands.

"Oh, Alice," she said. "You didn't have to break down my doors. You all are more than welcome to join us."

"The doors were locked." Kaden said quietly. "Alice."

"We have to tell you something, Queen Mirana." Alice said.

"Alice, my champion," the queen said, "you don't have to call me Queen anything. Call me Mirana."

"Your Majesty," Minerva said, "I think you are mistaken. That's a maid, not a champion. Her name is Lisey, not Alice."

"No," Hatter said firmly looking at Alice. His face had broken out into a wide smile and his eyes were brightly colored. "That's Alice. I'd know her anywhere."

"Minerva's been cheating all the servants!" Alice announced. "Mirana, she's been going behind us and sabotaging our work in order to withhold our wages."

"She owes me…" Dita paused to calculate how much money she had been cheated. "Sixty-nine thousand bills!"

"Minerva!" Mirana gasped. "How much money have all of you earned?"

As she went down the line, each servant told her how much money they had been robbed of. Kaden went right before Alice. Like most of the others, he had earned over sixty-nine thousand bills. Then, it was Alice's turn. She did the math and then told the queen that she had earned ten thousand bills. The White Queen looked at Minerva angrily.

"I put you in charge of the servants and you rob them? Minerva, how could you?" Mirana looked at Minerva expectantly.

"Those lazy servants! They have it so easy and yet they demand more money. They're lying."

"She tried to kill us!" Kaden shouted. "That's why Alice and I are soaking wet. She threw us in a dungeon cell made of stone and tried to drown us! And, she locked the other servants in the servants' corridor so that we wouldn't come here and tell you what she was doing!"

"He's a liar!" Minerva insisted. "Lisey—Alice—put the idea into his head."

"She's the lie!" Alice cried. "Not me!"

Minerva marched across the room to Alice. Her eyes were ablaze with pure hatred. She demanded Alice to "tell everyone the truth". Then, she told Mirana about how Alice had been disobedient, lazy, and unreliable. She told about how Alice had taken to disappearing for days at a time. Alice didn't lie and say that Minerva was lying about that, but she didn't have to. It was obvious who Mirana believed. Even Minerva realized it.

"You believe her!?" She roared.

"Why else would all of them be telling me the exact same story?" Mirana said. "Besides, you obviously don't pay close attention to them because if you did, you would have noticed an error in Alice's contract. She signed the name "Lisey" on every single line…but one. On the very last line, the line that really mattered, she signed 'Alice Kingsley.' That was very foolish, Minerva."

"I'm the fool?" Minerva snarled. "No, you're the fool, _Queen_ Mirana. You have no spine. You'll never be as great as the Red Queen. And if you won't deal with Alice, then I'll deal with her myself."

Minerva reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a knife. She reached to cut Alice, but something stopped her. She knew that no one would be able to stop her from marring Alice. They wouldn't be fast enough. However, she underestimated one thing: the Bandersnatch's loyalty to Alice. Before Minerva could touch Alice, the giant Bandersnatch had crossed the room and knocked her to the floor. With its vast claws, it slashed at her. It took eight guards to get it off of Minerva. Her arms, chest, and face were bleeding badly, but she was alive. Alice fell to the ground. She was not surprised that Minerva tried to kill her again, but she was surprised that she did it in front of everyone. Mallymkun, Hatter, and all the servants hurried to her. Hatter reached her first.

"Are you alright?" Hatter's voice sounded so…un-Hatter like. Then, Alice realized why it sounded like that. She had never heard him sound so terrified before.

"I'm fine." Alice replied. "Just…surprised. I didn't think she would do that again so soon in front of everyone."

"Take her to the infirmary." Mirana said. Her voice was masked with royal poise, but her warm brown eyes flashed dark with anger. "Then, throw her into dungeon. Maybe a few years there will calm her. Nivens."

"Yes, Queen Mirana."

"Take the servants to Minerva's old office and get them their wages. It's part of your job now."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The White Rabbit rallied the servants and led them out of the room. Kaden lingered, but saw that Alice was in good hands. He promised that he would get her pay while she rested. The Bandersnatch lie next to Alice and put his head into her lap. Without realizing it, she began to stroke his head.

"Thank you. You saved my life," she whispered to him.

"Are you sure you're alright, Alice?" Mallymkun asked.

"I'm fine, Mally." Alice promised. Hatter sat down beside her.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," Alice replied. "I'm definitely going to quit my job now while I'm still alive."

"Why don't you work in my hat shop." Hatter suggested suddenly. "Since Thackery started working here, we've been ridiculously short-handed."

Alice remembered the job offer she had gotten from the tailor. She had wanted it so badly, but she then remembered her promise to Chessur. He wanted Hatter's hat and she had to get it for him. So, she accepted Hatter's job offer. Then, she found the tailor and declined his offer. She assured herself that she would love working with her friends. So, once she got her money and her things, she said goodbye to her new servant friends and left with Hatter beginning yet another chapter in her new life in "Wonderland".

* * *

**A/N: Personally, I'm not too crazy about this chapter. It's the longest ones, which makes me happy. Minerva is not gone for good, so don't get TOO happy. The Bandersnatch attacking Minerva was an idea that urban-story-queen gave me that I couldn't get out of my head. Thanks! Hope you guys liked the chapter!**


	6. Five

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland.**

Five

Mallymkun lead Alice gave Alice the tour of the hat shop. The shop looked a lot smaller than one would originally think from just looking at the exterior of the shop. The front was especially small. Alice was not sure about what she was expecting, but what she got was definitely not it. The hardwood floors were plain and bare while the walls were white. However, there were several hats on display in the front window and on the walls. Near the back of the store was four doors.

"Now," Mally said, "don't go in the one on the far right. That's where Hatter works with mercury and we don't want anyone else to get mercury poisoning."

"Anyone else?" Alice echoed. "What does mercury do?"

"Helps in felting hats," Mallymukun said not catching her meaning.

Alice followed her into the room next to the "Mercury Room". It was surprisingly large and had darker wooden floors and dark grey walls. There were shelves and shelves of hats with a large oak desk in the far corner of the room. It had several things scattered across it that Alice recognized from when he had set up a small hat making area in the Red Queen's castle. A sewing machine, several spools of thread, a small and scattered pile of needles and pins, and a measuring tape. Beside the desk were several bins that held many bolts of cloth. The very site of the Hatter's workshop took Alice's breath away. Everything about the room, even the various piles of clutter on the desk, was very neat and organized. She would have never put such an organized space with the _Mad_ Hatter.

Mallymkun showed Alice the bathroom before taking her in the very last door, the second door from the left. Compared to his workshop, Alice was a little disappointed. It was a combination of a storeroom and a bedroom. There were bins with measuring tapes, packages of pins and needles, and bolts of fabric next to the door. Next to those was a large mahogany wardrobe in the corner. Diagonally from the wardrobe was a fairly large single mahogany bed and a matching nightstand next to it. There was a large brass reading lamp on the nightstand and two drawers in it. The floors and walls matched the ones in the front of the shop except the walls were completely bare.

"Feel free to change the room however you like," Mally told her, "Hatter'll move those bins tomorrow. I've been after him to do that for months now," she added. Then, she walked Alice through what was expected to her and how many days a week she would be working. Noticing Alice's discomfort, she added that the first two workdays of the next week would be relatively slow.

After Mallymkun left, Alice placed her suitcase on her bed and removed her nightgown from it. She took off her still soaking wet uniform and hung it over the bathtub in the bathroom. Then, she slipped on her nightgown and dried her hair. When she felt better, she went back into the bedroom and began unpacking her clothes. She felt a little disappointed with what was inside of it. All her favorite dresses and the dresses and formal gowns that she had bought in China were in suitcases that she had left back in London. Inside her suitcase were several pairs of undergarments and stockings, four everyday dresses, one formal gown, three plain black dresses and her one pair of boots. Alice couldn't help but purse her lips when she examined the clothes more closely. She discovered that all her everyday dresses were either ripped, stained, or both. Her sole formal gown had a rather large burn in the back from an embarrassing moment in China when she had stood too close to a fireplace. Her black dresses were actually more grayish than black while her boots were very worn and didn't have very many more months left in them.

"I need new clothes," she said aloud lying back on the bed. The bed was firmer than her old bed back in London, but more comfortable than the one she slept on back on the _Wonder_ and in the servants' quarters.

Alice couldn't help but think about her promise to Chessur. She had been taught at a very young age that if she could not keep a promise, she shouldn't make the promise. It wasn't like she could break her promise to the cat; she owed him her life. She contemplated telling Hatter about the promise. He might be mad, but he was fair. He wouldn't be angry. Maybe he would even let Chessur _borrow_ the hat. He never said that he wanted the hat to _keep_. He just said that he wanted it. Alice felt her eyes grow heavier and heavier. She crawled under the thin sheets and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow

The next morning, Mallymkun took Alice to the nearby village. Using the wages that she had finally gotten from her time working as a maid, Alice bought new boots and two new dresses along with new bedding and a clock for her nightstand. She needed to save her money so she couldn't buy as many dresses as she would have liked. Instead, she found herself buying bolts of fabric, buttons, spools of thread, and measuring tapes. She didn't want to use _all_ of Hatter's hat making equipment, but she was sure that he wouldn't mind that she used pins and needles. She decided that it would be just as much—if not less—to make her own dresses. When they got back to the store, Alice stored everything in the bottom of her wardrobe. Then, she put her new clock on the nightstand and replaced the bedding on the bed. Just those two little changes made a great difference.

Alice was having trouble adjusting to her new home. At the castle, even though you shared a room with ten to twenty other people, you could always go away somewhere to have some time to yourself and think or enjoy the solitude. At the hat shop, she alone lived in the shop with Hatter, Thackery, and Mallymkun living several yards away in their own rebuilt home. However, _someone_ was always talking to her or following her. Once, after a hectic day working, Alice laid down to take a nap and woke up with Thackery standing over her. She had accidentally screamed, scaring the hare. When she asked him why he was standing there staring at her, he innocently said that Mallymkun had sent him to tell her it was time for dinner.

After a week of working in the hat shop, Alice realized that her absolute favorite time of the work day was in the late afternoon just a few hours before they closed up. Not as many people came and usually, Mallymkun was gone somewhere (normally in the house). Thackery was still at Mirana's castle so it was just Hatter and Alice. Usually, he would bring a hat he was working on to the front of the store and would work on it while Alice was straightening everything up. After she was done, she would sit beside him and quietly watch him. Sometimes they would talk but other times they didn't. That didn't bother her at all. Just Hatter's calming presence was enough to satisfy her. One day, she had even taken a project of her own out. It was a day when Hatter was quiet, devoting almost all of attention to the hat in front of him. On that day, he saw the dress-in-progress and asked her what she was doing. Alice had replied that she had taken up sewing since she had been gone and had decided to make some dresses of her own as a hobby of sort. He nodded and went back to work. She couldn't help but notice that when he was making hats, he seemed…less mad. He didn't talk nonsense, ask riddles, or do crazy things that had were, well, expected of him. He seemed almost sane. Almost.

* * *

Alice finished stitching the last sleeve of the dress and cut the thread. It had been her first completed dress that she had made in over three years. It wasn't as handsome as the ones in the dressmaker's shop, but it was beautiful in its own right especially because it was one that she made all by herself. She made sure the door was locked and slipped off the plain dress she had worn that day to work in. Then, she carefully pulled on the dress and buttoned the buttons. As she looked in the new mirror she had bought on her last day off, she smiled brilliantly. It fit her wonderfully. The light blue fabric made her blue eyes stand out brilliantly and seemed to make her hair seem more golden than blonde.

Then, she heard the bell on the front door ring. It was Saturday, the day she had given it as she was trying to keep her days in check, and it was only a half day to work. Hatter had gone with Mally to run an errand in Queast while Thackery was still at the White Castle. Alice unlocked her door and went into the front room of the store. She gasped when she saw the three people by the counter.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in amazement.

"We're kidnapping you," Kaden replied with a grin, "Dear Alice, I think you've forgotten our promise."

"Yep!" Dita agreed. "Remember—?

"You said," Ailia added for her sister, "that when we got Minerva sacked, we'd go to the beach. Well the sun is high, the weather is warm, and the ocean looks so pretty now."

"I can't just disappear!" Alice said trying not to laugh. "That would be irresponsible!"

"Then write a note!" Kaden said jumping up on the counter to sit down. "And be fast! Old McTwisp doesn't realize we're gone."

Alice quickly scrawled a note for Hatter and got a small bag with some bills in it in case she needed it. Then she followed her friends out the door. As they went to the ocean, Alice couldn't help but feel giddy. It had been her first real vacation since she had came to Underland and for the first time she could remember, had friends she could enjoy it with.

* * *

When they got to a tiny village next to the beach, the Kaden disappeared to buy supplies for the small venture while Alice and the twins decided to occupy themselves with shopping. Ailia and Dita showed her all the latest Underland fashions and Alice found herself having a wonderful time.

"What's that?" Alice asked Dita when they were walking in the streets after leaving the third shop. She pointed at a tall white and baby blue building close to the beach.

"That's Mr. Hammin's shop." Dita replied.

"He's a hatter," Ailia added. "Not a mad hatter like Mr. Hightopp though."

"I thought Hatter was the only hatter." Alice said. Both the other girls stopped and looked at her like she had said something crazy. Then, they both began to giggle.

"You say the silliest things, Alice." Dita replied. "Each land in Underland has one of every kind of store…"

"As order of the White Queen Mirana," Ailia finished. "That way the shopkeepers won't fight. It works for the most part except there's only two hatters: Hammin and Hightopp. But…"

"Everyone goes to Mr. Hightopp because Mr. Hammin is a terrible hatter! He never does anything right," Dita completed for her sister, "He always changes his orders. There are _some _people here in Queast that will buy hats from him but only because they don't want to travel all the way to Tugley Woods to buy one from Mr. Hightopp."

Alice looked at the large hat shop again. Maybe Mr. Hammin could help her with her hat problem. Just then, Kaden appeared and Alice put the notion out of her mind. All she wanted to think about was having fun with her new friends. They all walked down to the beach and Alice was surprised that there were other servants and ex-servants from the castle. No wonder Kaden was worried about Nivens catching them. There probably wasn't a single servant left in the castle. Alice followed Kaden down to the water. She couldn't help taking off her boots, lifting up her skirt past her ankles, and stepping into the water. The water felt nice and cool on her skin. She looked over at Kaden.

"How has the castle been since Minerva been fired?" She asked him.

"Much better," he replied. "I've been reassigned."

"Reassigned?" Alice asked in surprise. "Where to?"

"The stables," Kaden said with a grin. "I love it. It's a lot better than scrubbing floors and windows all day."

Alice giggled and waded a little deeper, rising her dress a little higher. She was glad that she came. The waves gently rubbed against her calves. She dropped her skirt and let the water soak into her new dress. She turned back to the beach and laughed at what she saw. Some of the boys were chasing the girls across the sand. One picked up Dita and spun her around until she started screaming to be put down. Alice got out of the water and began running to Dita and Ailia to help them. For the first time in years, she finally felt her own age.

A few hours later, Alice slipped away from the beach party. She found herself walking to Hammlin's Hat Shop. She slowly entered the store and looked around. The hats were very nice, but none of them were as beautiful or breathtaking as the ones Hatter had made. None of the hats looked like they had been made with as much care and love that the Hatter poured into his creations. Each looked vaguely familiar to the next and all of them were rather plain. A very short man with messy black hair and silver eyes came out of the back room.

"Ah! A customer," he said in happy surprise. "How can I help you?"

"I-I'd like a hat." Alice said uneasily, "A specific hat."

"What kind of hat?" Mr. Hammlin asked.

"I want a hat that looks _exactly_ like the Mad Hatter's hat. And I mean exact. I want every stitch to match the one on his." Alice added firmly.

"That shabby thing?" Mr. Hammlish looked insulted. "I'm an artist! I don't create garbage."

"If you make a perfect copy," Alice offered sweetly, "I'll pay handsomely." To prove her point, Alice took out the little sac that had her money and showed the insides to him. Hammlish's eyes opened wide. He reached for the sac, but Alice put it away. "Hat first, then you'll be paid."

"Alright," he sighed. "I'll make a perfect copy of the hat. Come back here in one week."

Alice was confident that her plan would work. At least, she was until one week later when she went to retrieve the hat Mr. Hammlish made.

* * *

**A/N: I like this chapter a little more. Its not quite as fast-paced as the last one. Let me know what you guys think.  
**


	7. Six

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland.**

Six

"No, no, no!" Alice exclaimed looking at the hat. "You were supposed to make it _exactly_ like I said!"

"I'm an artist!" Mr. Hammlish scoffed. "Such an ugly hat like Tarrant Hightopp's does not belong on a beautiful young woman's head. This is better!"

Better was a large floppy white sunhat with a thick baby blue ribbon wrapped around it and a hideous large white and light blue feather coming out of the ribbon. Alice's stomach felt her stomach churn. Now what was she going to do? She couldn't give that monstrosity to Chessur. She closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair.

"I'm not paying for that." Alice finally said. "I said I'd pay for an exact replica of the Mad Hatter's hat, not for some tacky sunhat."

"Tacky!" Mr. Hammlish became vivid. "Then why don't you just leave, _madam_. I do not need to lower my standards for…common trash." He lovingly placed the hat on the counter and stormed off.

Alice slowly returned home feeling defeated. She had absolutely no options left. She would either have to break her promise with Chessur or go against her morals and steal Hatter's hat. She began regretting saying yes so quickly to the cat when she was about to drown in the dungeon. Maybe she should have just drowned. Then, guilt wouldn't kill her.

"Hello, Alice." Hatter said when she walked in. Alice was mildly surprised. Usually, Hatter didn't work on their full day off (Sunday, she reminded herself in her mind). Then, his eyes became a very soft blue. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Alice lied. She had forgotten how easily Hatter could tell if someone close to him was upset. She remembered Mirana referring to him as an "emotional sponge", soaking up people's happiness or sadness with ease.

"You're lying." Hatter insisted. Alice sighed, then looked at the hat in his hands and got an idea. Maybe it was about time she told him.

"Hatter," she began, "how easily would it be to make a copy of a hat?"

"A copy?" Hatter looked confused, then chuckled. His eyes turned back to a bright jade green. "Dear Alice, you can't make a copy of a hat. That would be if someone tried to make another Alice. It wouldn't be the same."

"Oh." Alice said. "Well, what if you were to let Chessur borrow _your_ hat?"

"Absolutely not," he replied, his eyes yellowing and darkening. "The last time, it smelt like a wet animal and it had fleas. It took me three months to get rid of those nasty creatures."

"Oh," Alice said again. All hope was lost now.

"Why?" Hatter suddenly asked.

Alice came clean and told him about when Minerva had thrown her into the dreaded cell and tried to drown her. Then, she explained about how she had promised Chessur Hatter's hat. Alice had expected anger from Hatter, but instead he was silent. He finished up a stitch and then walked out of the shop. Alice knew he wasn't angry because the color of his eyes was green. However, he never came back. He didn't even come down for dinner that night.

The next morning, Hatter didn't say anything and stayed in his workshop the entire day. Alice was lucky that the first days of the week were usually slow and no one wanted a hat that had to be made or that was stored in the now locked workshop. At the end of the day, she saw Chessur sitting outside the store on a stump. Dread filled her. She didn't know what to do. Then, someone put a hat in front of her. But it wasn't just any hat. It was Hatter's hat, minus the pins and the card. She looked up at Hatter, now hatless.

"Give this to him." Hatter said. Alice thanked him and grabbed the hat. Once the hat was in her hands, she ran outside as fast as she could. She presented the hat with Chessur and asked him if it settled her debt to him.

"My, I didn't think he would let me have it." Chessur said in surprise. "Then again, it was you that asked him this time instead of me. Yes, this settles everything." Chessur picked up his new hat and disappeared smiling widely.

Alice felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders. She ran back inside the hat shop and couldn't believe what she saw. Hatter had given up his hat to Chessur…but when she did a double take, she saw that his had was on his head. She tried to ask him how it was possible, but the question couldn't come out right.

"Dear Alice," Hatter chuckled. "I'm disappointed. You didn't notice any differences?"

"No!" Alice gasped. "That was a perfect copy! It was so much better than the one Mr. Hammlish tried to…" Alice suddenly clasped her hands over her mouth. Yellow eyes bared at her.

"Hammlish?" Hatter said in his Scottish accent. "That filthy, sneaky, _guddler's scut_...!"

"Hatter!" Alice said snapping him out of his rage. His eyes reverted back to normal.

"I'm fine."

"I take it you don't like…him." Alice replied.

"He's been trying to steal away all my business. I can't believe _you _would go to him first…" Hatter then looked sad.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I didn't want to burden you. I wish I had never bothered going to him. It was nothing but a waste of time. I asked for a copy of your hat and he gave me an ugly sunhat. What was different about the copy you made?"

"The stitching wasn't quite right." Hatter said, visibly thankful they weren't talking about Mr. Hammlish any longer. "Though I guess only a hatter can tell."

Alice threw her arms around the Hatter's neck and thanked him again. Surprised, the hatter hugged her back.

* * *

The next day was slow. Mallymkun was arranging the hats in the display windows while Alice was sweeping the floor and Hatter was counting the money in the cash register. Alice couldn't help but think about what happened the day before. Chessur had realized after seeing Hatter that the hat had been a copy, but he was pleased enough with the hat he had gotten. Hatter had not mentioned their hug the day before and Alice decided not to mention it either. Suddenly, Dita and Ailia ran inside the store.

"You tell her," Ailia told Dita.

"No, _you_ tell her!" Dita told Ailia.

"Tell me what?" Alice asked exasperatedly. Every time she talked to the two twins, she was reminded more and more of the Chataway twins she knew back in London.

"Next month is the Billiwangle festival." They said together. Hatter raised his head.

"Already? Time flies," he said.

"What's…" Alice began. Mallymkun jumped down from the display window.

"It's a weeklong celebration we have every year. It's the anniversary of when the White Queen won the throne from her father, the Black King."

"Won?"

Hatter closed the register and explained that a long time ago, before Alice had ever come to "Wonderland", the Black King and the first White Queen ruled the kingdom. Iracebeth of Crims was their eldest daughter and was their heir to the throne of Underland while Mirana of Marmoreal was their youngest and only other daughter was destined to become a healer using the skills she had learned from her mother. However, she knew that if Iracebeth got the throne, she would destroy everything that their parents had worked for. So, one day she told her father she wanted the throne. She was only nineteen, the same age Alice was when she slain the Jabberwocky. Her father laughed and told her no. The next day, she told her father she wanted the throne. Her father laughed and told her no again. This continued on for five more days. Finally, on the seventh day, he smiled and gave her the army of white chess pieces that Alice remembered from her last visit to Underland. Then, he summoned his own army of black chess pieces and took Mirana to the black and white chess board battlefield in Tugley Wood . He told her that if she wanted to take the throne from him and Iracebeth then she would have to beat him in a game of chess using the soldiers. The White Soldiers were already very loyal to Mirana so they were more than willing to lay down their lives for her. The battle was lasted four hours when finally Mirana beat her father. He was not angry. Instead, he was happy. She had much more muchness than Iracebeth did. So she became Queen of Underland.

"So that's why we celebrate," Hatter concluded. "We didn't get to celebrate much after the Red Queen took over. We started celebrating all over again after you killed the Jabberwocky."

"This will be our first celebration since forever." Dita said. "The last two years Minerva wouldn't let us go. _Everyone_ goes to the celebration."

"People from all of Underland come. All the businesses lets the workers go and there's great shopping, wonderful food, and the ball!" Ailia said.

"It's the most important holiday we have," Mallymkun added, "second only to the Frabjous Day Anniversary."

"What's the ball?" Alice asked the twins

"Queen Mirana has a ball every night of the festival," Ailia said. "Everyone wears their very best formal gowns and suits and they wear masks. No one unmasks themselves until the seventh night at the witching hour."

"You'll be there, right?" Dita asked.

"I'll be there. When is it?"

"The middle of next month." Ailia replied. She and her sister promised that they would all go gown shopping that "Saturday" and ran out of the store. Hatter asked her if they were related to the Tweedle twins. Alice only laughed and began sweeping once more.

* * *

Alice looked at what she had laid out on the counter and smiled. Gowns in Underland near the Billiwangle Festival were disgustingly expensive. She and Mallymkun could not buy seven new gowns for the festival on their salaries. So, Alice had cut up her old gown and using the fabric she had bought and made seven little gowns for Mallymkun, who was having enough trouble getting gowns that were even in her size anyway. She couldn't wait to see the little dormouse's face when she saw them. Alice herself had decided to make her own gowns for the festival. She had already bought the fabric for them. One bolt was blue and twinkled like the stars, another bolt was dark jade that looked like morning dew on grass, and another one was orange like fire while yet another one was red like glistening rubies. She found a bolt that was sparkling purple like amethysts and a bolt that was a shining yellow like the sun. However, Alice's absolute favorite was a white and grey bolt of fabric that glowed shimmered like the moon. She was amazed to see that all the fabric had masks that matched them. She worked hard to get the dresses ready before the festival.

A knock alerted her. She saw Kaden's face through the window. He looked unusually excited. Alice looked at the clock on the corner of the counter. It was late. Kaden shouldn't be here. She got up and let him in.

"I've got an idea for the festival," he said as soon as he was inside, "but it's going to sound really mad."

"I work for the Mad Hatter," Alice assured him, "Around here, madness is expected."

"I'm going to be a lord."

"A lor…never mind. You're madder than I thought." Alice said slowly. "Why a lord?"

"Lords are noble. I could talk to Queen Mirana."

Alice tried to smile. It was no secret among the servants and ex-servants of the White Queen's castle that Kaden fancied Mirana. However, he was a firm believer of the "nobles marry nobles, servants marry servants" rule. He knew that it was hopeless for him to ever be with her. Alice felt so sorry for him. Kaden couldn't even speak to Mirana. Not even the years when he had been the one who had cleaned her bedroom and washed her knickers.

"Alright," Alice said. "Why tell me? Why not just surprise everyone?"

"I don't want to do it…alone." Kaden said slowly.

"What does that…" Alice paused. Her mouth turned into a small _O_ and her eyes widened. She turned to Kaden. "Absolutely not."

"Alice…" Kaden went around the counter and dropped to his knees. "Alice, Alice, Alice! Please! You're my best friend. I can't do this without you! Please, Alice. Please! Just imagine it! We'll be brother and sister! Lord and Lady from some far away land. We won't be Kaden and Alice. We'll be completely different people. We can do whatever we want to do, say whatever we want to say. You could flirt with the hatter and you won't have to worry about what he would think because it wouldn't be _Alice_ that would be doing it! Please, pretty please!" Kaden begged.

"Is this _that_ important to you?" Alice asked. "Because if it is, I can always lie and say I had to do something. Hatter is closing down the shop for the week and everyone is staying at the castle so they won't know if I stayed here or not."

"Thanks, Alice!" Kaden threw his arms around her. "You are the best friend I've ever had! You won't regret this, I promise." Alice had to admit, she had never seen him so happy.

"I'll meet you this weekend and we can come up with a plan." Alice promised with a small smile, "It'll be just like the old days, the two of us plotting."

"You're the best, Alice." Kaden said. "I gotta get back. Meet me by the stables after you get off work this weekend."

Kaden thanked her once more and he disappeared into the darkness of the night. Alice locked the door again and went back to her room. It was only two weeks until the big festival. She had gotten three of the seven dresses done, leaving her "moon" dress for last. She wanted that dress to look perfect. She pulled out her purple dress and began to finish work on it. She looked at the clock on her nightstand and sighed. She had a lot of work to do in two weeks.

* * *

**A/N: Um, this is kind of a good news/ bad news deal. Good news: there are some fan-girls that are going to be very happy in the not so distant future. Bad news: A certain someone that many of you guys don't like is going to come back. **


	8. Seven: The First Night

**Disclaimer: Okay, this is the eighth chapter (counting the prologue). Do I **_**REALLY **_**need to say that I don't own **_**Alice in Wonderland**_** by now?**

**A/N: Despite common belief that I've found in reviews, Alice and Kaden are not going to be a couple. Their relationship is more of a brother/sister relationship. They seem like they are more than friends, but they are just very protective of one another. Originally there was no Kaden, but then I noticed that a certain someone was very lonely.**

Seven

_~The First Day~_

Alice and Kaden entered the ball room. It was the first night of the festival and everyone in Underland had come dressed in their finest. Everyone was wearing masks and dancing with one another while a band played in a corner nearby. Both Alice and Kaden agreed that they would go by false names during the balls and then they would easily slip back into their old lives when the festival was over. Kaden looked handsome in his suit and mask and Alice looked beautiful in the shimmering dark blue gown. She looked at all the people at the ball. She was nervous. The last large party she had been to was her engagement party to Hammish, which had ended in utter disaster. Then, she realized that everyone was staring at her.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" She asked Kaden. He laughed.

"You come here dressed in such a pretty dress," he replied, "and you wonder why you are getting stares. Ah, look who's coming."

Alice had expected to see Mirana come towards them, but was shocked to see a masked Hatter part his way through the crowd. The mask hid his face, but not his brilliant green eyes. Alice blushed and suddenly wished her own mask went farther down her face to hide her cheeks. Kaden leaned toward Alice and told her that he was going to find Mirana. Alice gasped and turned to tell him not to leave her alone with Hatter, but he was already slipping by dancing couples.

"You look familiar," Hatter said. "You look like…no…yes…no…yes. Yes, I'd know her anywhere. Alice?"

"No," Alice said quickly. "I'm not an Alice, but I get that very often."

"You aren't an Alice." Hatter echoed looking a bit crestfallen. "Well, Not Alice, would you like to dance anyway?"

"I-I'd like that," Alice found herself saying.

She slowly placed her hand into Hatter's extended one and he led her to an empty spot on the dance floor. Alice clumsily followed him as he then led her into an Underlandian version of a waltz. Alice closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. She had been working for Hatter for a little over a month now and she had never realized how wonderful he smelled. Then again, she was rarely close enough to him to really _smell_ him.

"What is your name, Not Alice," he asked after the song ended.

"Mei," Alice lied. A small smile came to his lips. "What is your name?"

"Tarrant Hightopp," he replied.

Alice's heart began fluttering wildly in her chest. She thought of all the times that she had been this close to Hatter and could only think of the one time she had hugged him when he pretended to give his beloved hat up to Chessur. For once, she didn't feel shy around him. Why would she? She had given herself another false identity to hide behind. Guilt flooded her as she realized that she had been doing that a lot lately since her return to Underland. The first time was obvious. Minerva had clearly hated her and who knows what would happen to her if she had just said "Hello, my name is Alice Kingsley and I'm the one you were yelling about." She wasn't sure why she was lying to Hatter. She had no reason to fear him. Alice closed her eyes in concentration. Why was she acting this way?

"Are you alright?" Hatter asked her quietly.

"I'm fine," she lied. She was lying to him a lot tonight. She wasn't Alice, she was Mei, and she was fine. No. She wasn't Mei, she _was_ Alice, and she was definitely not fine. "You are a fine dancer, Tarrant."

"You ought to see me do the Futterwacken, Mei," Tarrant grinned. "I've been told I do the best Futterwacken in all of Underland."

"I would love to see that." Alice replied honestly. Tarrant leaned in until he was barely inches from her face.

"Do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" He suddenly asked. Alice found herself giggling quietly.

"As a matter of fact, Tarrant," she replied. "I think I do."

* * *

Mirana left Nivens and walked out on the balcony. No one told her, but she knew the reason why there were so many lords and dukes at this ball. _That sneaky rabbit_, she thought almost bitterly, _no wonder he's been so nervous when I've asked about the preparations_. She wouldn't mind it so much if the attention of her suitors had been a little less on her title and another, ahem, part of her body besides her face. She closed her eyes and felt the night breeze blow against her face. The wonderful fragrance of the garden filled her nose.

"Y-Your majesty," someone said in nervous quietness. Mirana grimaced, then forced a smile. She had a feeling she knew who was there.

"Yes?" She said turning around.

Her stomach churned. It was _another_ lord. Then, she noticed something. This lord was funny looking, not at all like all the others. His suit was nice, but she noticed some subtle patching on the elbows even in the moonlight. His shoes were scuffed and were obviously secondhand.

"You…you looked lonely," he said shakily. "I thought that you would like some company. I-I could leave."

"No," Mirana smiled. "I would like some company." She turned around and looked at the garden and smiled at the sight of Bayard's puppies playing among the flowers even though he had already put them to bed, expecting them to fall straight asleep. The lord beside her laughed. It was a pleasant sound. "Do you like animals?"

"I love them," the lord replied. "They're so wonderful to be around. I could never hurt them, it's against my beliefs." Those words sparked Mirana's interest. She was becoming interested in this lord, especially after the last one who invited her to go _hunting_ with him.

"What is your name?" Mirana asked.

"Lord Kendric," the lord said quickly. "From…Umbrage."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kendric." Mirana stood and offered a hand. "Would you care to dance?"

"I would like that, Your Majesty. I would like that very much."

* * *

Alice danced a little closer to Hatter (or Tarrant as she was getting more and more comfortable calling him), feeling his warmth. It was one of the best nights that she had ever had. In all the time that she had been at the ball, she had only danced with Tarrant. Several other men had watched her and waited patiently for each dance to end but every time Alice tried walk away, Tarrant pulled her close and asked for another dance. Every time, Alice accepted eagerly. The band soon paused for a break and Alice went to the table where the kitchen staff placed refreshments and got a glass of wine. She very rarely drank anything that had alcohol in it, but she thought the wine would settle her nerves, but get her very drunk. Tarrant soon came up next to her and got a cup of tea.

"Are you enjoying the ball, Mei?"

"Very much so," Alice said, "especially with such wonderful company."

Tarrant smiled and slowly drank his tea. Alice took a long drink of her wine and stared at the perfect white tablecloth underneath the platters and bottles and teapots. Slowly, she led her finger along the tablecloth and traced the designs in the fabric. She was terrified of making things awkward between Tarrant and herself. She was honest when she told him that she was enjoying his company.

"Mei?"

"Yes, Tarrant?" Alice lifted her finger from the table and looked at her companion.

"Would you like to go for a walk in the garden?" Tarrant asked, "It would be a pleasant change from being in this stuffy ball room."

"That sounds lovely."

Alice followed him out of the castle and into the large garden. There were cherry trees, large flowering bushes, and dozens of flowers. Some talked, some didn't. Some of the talking flowers nodded their heads and said hello while the others chastised them for disturbing their slumber. The moonlight touched each plant and seemed to make it glow. The sky was clear of any blemishes or clouds. All Alice could see when she looked up at the sky was the moon and stars, hundreds of thousands of bright, glistening stars. Suddenly, Alice felt Tarrant slowly slip his hand into hers. The act surprised her, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she moved a bit closer to her companion and continued to gaze up at the night sky.

"Mei," Tarrant said when the clock began chiming and alerting the guests at the ball that it was midnight, "you will be coming here tomorrow night, won't you?"

"Of course," Alice smiled. "I'll be in the ballroom," she looked up and saw Kaden waiting for her. "I'll be the one in the mask." Tarrant took her hand and gently kissed it.

"Fairfarren, Mai."

"Fairfarren, Tarrant." Alice replied before disappearing to meet Kaden.

* * *

The guards, both cards and chess pieces, red and white, couldn't help but shutter when they passed the cell. The woman sitting inside of it was sitting in the middle of the very back of the cell hunkered over so that her red hair fell over her face. That would have made her less frightening. But it didn't. Her voice was very quiet but was enough to send chills down even the bravest of soldiers when she started singing aloud in an eerie manner. Her only companion was a cloth doll that she had made herself. It was white and had fake red "hair" and a funny-looking hat that she complulsively took on and off. On and off. She only named it "Hattie". She dressed the doll in little outfits and had tea parties with him when the guards brought her "tea and scones" which in reality was bread and water with some meat thrown in occasionally to give her strength. The castle doctor said that she had been driven mad when she had been arrested.

In Underland, there are two types of mad people. There are people like Tarrant Hightopp, who are mad but are for the most part aware of their actions. Those are the "harmless" mad people. Tarrant Hightopp would not attack anyone on whim. However, there are also people like Minerva, Minerva, who had been driven mad by lust and anger. She had loved Tarrant Hightopp ("Hattie"), but when she realized that he loved another, she began her decent into madness. She decided that she would kill the lowly servant girl who dared stood in her way to get what she wanted. When she found out that the servant girl was indeed Alice, that one act completed her decent into insanity. Minerva's madness was opposite of Tarrant's. She was dangerous. If she was let out of her cell, she would kill anyone who got in her way: staring with Alice Kingsley.

"La, la, la, la, lala-lala-lala," she sung quietly. She waited until the guards walked by her cell and then she began pulling at the Hattie Doll. A small ripping noise was heard and she moved her hand towards his leg where she pulled a long file. A small smile played on her lips. She knew that she would need it. She crawled towards the lock and slowly began picking the lock. If she worked a little every day, she would be out in time for the final day of the festival. Then, Alice would die.

* * *

**A/N: I promised that Minerva would return. There will be more Alice/Hatter fluff later on. I'm basing a certain OC on my own interpretation of a character in **_**Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.**_** PM me if you can figure out which character it is and what character he/she is based on. Sorry the chapter is so choppy. Happy Easter!  
**


	9. Eight: Third and Fifth Nights

**Disclaimer: I can only **_**wish**_** that I owned Alice in Wonderland.**

Eight

_Third Day_

_He didn't come_. Alice couldn't believe it. She and Tarrant had agreed to meet by the refreshment table at seven o'clock and he had never showed up. Instead, she was stuck dancing with other men who gladly took Tarrant's place as a dance partner. They had taken notice that Mei was one of the most beautiful women attending the ball…and she was single. Alice liked to dance but it didn't feel right being twirled and dipped by any other man besides her Hatter. Tarrant was wonderfully gentle with her while all the other men she danced with were a little clumsy and very rough. Alice plastered a smile on her face and discretely watched the door whenever she could. Whenever she thought that she was going to lose her temper, she forced herself to think about the night before.

The second night of the Festival had been wonderful. She and Tarrant had met by the refreshment table and they had danced for a couple hours. Then, he took her out to the garden again and they held hands as they walked to a little pond near the castle Tarrant had stumbled across one day a year earlier. They sat on a large rock and she had laid her head on his shoulder and he had absentmindedly held her close. They talked for hours and hours until Alice had to leave. She had never felt closer to him than she had at that very moment. She had worn her yellow dress and he said he liked it on her. He was wearing his hat like usual and she had complemented it, making him gleam with pride.

"Pardon me," Alice said finally able to pull away from the lord she was dancing with. She walked away and went to the balcony outside. The band played a familiar waltz and she felt someone tap her shoulder.

"Would you care to dance?" Just hearing those five words made Alice's heart jump.

"Tarrant!" Alice exclaimed, "I thought you weren't coming."

"My friend and I got a little sidetracked on the way here," Tarrant said, "I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Mei."

He took her hand and led her back into the ballroom. He gently put his arms around her and they began close dancing. The men who had waited to dance with her looked on in a mixture of jealousy, anger, and longing. How dare Tarrant Hightopp move in between them and Mei. He was a _mad_ hatter. What on earth was that woman thinking? Alice smiled as Tarrant twirled her. She couldn't think of another place she wanted to be than in his arms while they were dancing. She just hated lying to him. She wished that she could just tell him who she really was. But what would he think if she ever told him the truth? He would feel betrayed. Alice didn't want to know how that would affect their relationship. After all, the Mei that he cared for was the Alice he didn't love. She stared off into the distance wondering how she was going to be rid of Mei once and for all and how her sudden disappearance would affect Tarrant.

"Mei?" Tarrant said her name softly. "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

"I…I have a lot on my mind tonight." Alice whispered softly. "But I'm fine, Tarrant."

"Would you like to go somewhere else then?" Tarrant asked. "We could go back down to the pond or in the garden. You could empty your mind there."

"What a…" Alice stopped, almost saying the same thing she had told him the day he asked her to stay in Underland. "What an idea." He was mad, but he was hers whether she was Mei or Lisey or Alice Kingsley.

Once again, he offered her a hand and once again Alice took it. He led her outside and back to the same pathway they had taken the night before. Soon, they were at his pond and seated upon the same big rock as they were the night before. Alice laid her head on his and tried to think while he serenely looked out upon the water that seemed illuminated by the moonlight. He surprised her by putting an arm around her and gently resting his head on hers. Alice looked at their reflections in the pool and smiled. They made a cute couple. Tarrant then sat up and said "Mei's" name quietly. Alice looked at him. Tarrant then placed on hand under her chin and kissed her. It was as gentle as only he could be and yet had a passion behind it, powering it, that frightened Alice. She pulled away feeling every last drop of color leaving her face. She knew that she looked scared but, she noticed, so did Tarrant. Very softly, he asked "may I?" and Alice nodded. He kissed her again. This time, she didn't pull away and kissed him back.

* * *

"Checkmate." Mirana said feigning boredom. Inside, she was happy as could be. Lord Kendric frowned and glared at his captured king. She knew that he knew how to play chess and every time they played, he _almost_ beat her. He just had one fatal flaw. He refused to let anything happen to his queen until it was too late. If he played it earlier, he would win.

"Maybe you should play solitare, Queen Mirana," he said, "then I won't lose to you."

"If you played your queen, you'd never lose." Mirana said.

"I don't like sacrificing things I care about," Kendric said quietly, "even chess pieces. The queen's a queen for a reason. Without her, there can be no king. In chess," he added hastily.

"That's very noble of you," Mirana said quietly.

She smiled at Kendric and he smiled back at her. They had left the ball so that they could be together in private and had ended up playing chess for most of the evening. Every now and again, she would tell him bits and pieces about his life. He had nine brothers and sisters back home and he was the middle eldest. He loved working with animals and could never hurt one that didn't do anything to hurt him in the first place. He seemed so perfect, but was so mysterious at the same time. She really didn't know anything about him. Then again, he never said much about himself.

"Lord Kendric, you are an enigma," Mirana said.

"I'm just very private, Queen Mirana," he replied. "Aren't you?"

"What do you mean?" Mirana asked.

"Why did you take your Vows? Not many nobles take them."

"It's private." Mirana said feeling her cheeks turn red.

"I understand," Kendric said and she knew that he really did understand.

* * *

_Fifth Night_

Tarrant kissed Alice once more. They had gotten even closer, but she was still afraid of telling him the truth. She hated lying to him, but the game had gone on five nights. The only thing that would fix this was if she went away forever.

"I wish Alice could have been here." Tarrant said. "I've been trying to get her to come every night this week, but she never comes. She's always busy."

"I'm sorry," Alice said quietly. She leaned against his shoulder, enjoying his warmth that she was unfairly stealing from him since it was under false pretenses. Tarrant held her close and kissed the top of her head. He said "Mei's" name quietly and then tilted her head so that he could kiss her once more. Alice buried her head in his chest and shut her eyes as tightly as she could. This was not right and it was not fair. She couldn't live this lie any longer because it wasn't fair to Tarrant. The bells chimed and Alice pulled away. Tarrant looked at her with an injured look.

"You're leaving again," he said.

"I'll be back tomorrow," she lied. He kissed her once more and she disappeared into the crowd.

Alice decided that she will be Mei only once more. Then, she will bury her forever. She would be Tarrant's love on the last night of the festival but for the sixth night, she needed to think about how she was going to end Mei's "life".

* * *

**A/N: A little short, but my dad and I have a new dog around and she doesn't give me **_**any**_** privacy to really work on anything and she doesn't really have the "Don't" and "No!" commands down yet. ^^; Anywho, next chapter is the last night and by the time I post that one…I have a feeling that a **_**lot**_** of people are not going to be very happy with me. Leave a comment. I've got a poll up on my profile for this story if you want to check it out. As usual, thanks for all the support you guys have given!**


	10. Nine: The Final Night

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland is not mine.**

**A/N: The final night of the festival. For some reason to me, "Welcome to Mystery" on the **_**Almost Alice**_** soundtrack matches this chapter perfectly from the part where Alice goes into the ballroom to the very end. It probably doesn't sound like it the way I wrote it.  
**

_Nine_

Gasps filled the small bedroom as Alice exited the bathroom in the gray and white gown. It was truly her greatest work yet. She, Ailia, and Dita called the ball gown her "Moon Dress" since the fabric and the beading made the dress shine and sparkle like a moonbeam. Alice had spent the greater half of the month working on it. The dress was strapless and was pure white on the bodice. The skirt of the dress was white on the sides, but the middle of the front of the skirt had gray on it and white in the center of that. The bodice was heavily beaded with white beads speckled with gray while the skirt had dark gray beads beaded on it in the form of flowers. The dress fit her perfectly and seemed to show off her curves nicely.

"Oh, Alice!" Dita gasped. "You look…you look…"

"Beautiful," Ailia finished in awe.

"Thank you," Alice whispered. "I…I wanted tonight to be special."

"Mr. Hightopp's going to love it," Ailia said quietly. Alice visibly winced. The twins were the only ones that knew Alice's and Kaden's secret. They knew what Alice was going to do that night. They knew that she was going to end Mei's existence that night. Ailia helped Alice pin her hair up and fasten her mask on her face. Alice looked in the mirror and saw Ailia grimace. "So, tonight's the night."

"Yeah," Alice said. "I'm locking Mei up after tonight and I'm never letting her out again. Tarrant doesn't deserve this and I'm sick of the guilt killing me like this. I don't deserve to live like this either." From the time they left with Kaden to the time they separated and walked into the castle.

* * *

_The lock finally snapped off. This was the final night of the festival, so all the guards had disappeared to have some fun. Minerva picked up "Hattie" and walked to the servants' quarters. It was so easy to pick up a new uniform and pull it on. She pulled her hair over her face and then snuck off to the kitchen. She searched through the cabinet and found a bottle of lethal and tasteless poison that would work fairly quickly. She slipped it and Hattie into her apron pocket and picked up a platter with several clean shining empty wine glasses on it. It was time for her revenge._

_

* * *

  
_

Alice walked through the doors and everyone turned to look at her. They all thought the same thing. Mei looked absolutely ravishing that night and they couldn't wait until the unmasking at the witching hour, the unmasking that, coincidentally both "Mei" and "Lord Kendric" had forgotten all about. If they had not of forgotten and had left before midnight, if Alice hadn't of…

"Mei," Tarrant breathed. "You came."

"Of course I did," Mei said. "This is my last night in Underland. I wanted to say goodbye."

"Y-You're leaving?" Tarant said in shock. "But…but…but…"

"My brother is going back home and I must accompany him." Alice lied. "I'm not sure if I can ever come back. But, let's dance and have fun tonight, Tarrant. I don't want to think about tomorrow morning."

"Yes," Tarrant said. Unknown to Alice, he was thinking about the unmasking and how happy he was to know that he was finally going to get to see her face. "Maybe later we can go and see the performers that Queen Mirana has hired for tonight." He held out a hand.

"I'd like that," Alice replied and took his hand.

They walked to the dance floor and began waltzing as usual. Alice noticed that tonight, there was a large crowd around a troupe of performers. She saw a fire-breather, a contortionist, and a man with many tattoos and rings in his face swallowing swords. They sent chills down her spine. She had never seen people like that before. She shrugged off the feeling and danced closer to Tarrant, giving him his last moments with Mei.

* * *

Mirana danced with Lord Kendric, feeling as light as a cloud. He twirled her and pulled her gracefully back towards to him. Despite the look of happiness on his face, she noticed that he looked very distracted. He wasn't telling her something and she didn't like it.

"Kendric," she said.

"I'm fine, Mirana," he said. She had told him firmly before he left on the fifth night to call her by her first name instead of "Queen Mirana" like everyone else.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately," she revealed.

"You have?"

"I think I'm ready to tell you my secret," Mirana admitted. Kendric dipped her and then pulled her back up.

"Oh."

"I…let's go somewhere more private." She insisted. Kendric nodded.

He took her hand and led her to the garden. They sat on a stone bench and she nervously took Kendric's hands in her own. He smiled at her lovingly and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. He told her that no matter what it was, it wouldn't change anything. _I can't lose him_, Mirana realized, _he isn't like the other lords. I…I could marry Kendric. He could become the new White King. Oh, Underland could easily flourish with the two of us leading it!_

"Kendric," Mirana said quietly, "I want to tell you why I took my Vows."

"Mirana," Kendric interrupted, "You don't have to do that. I shouldn't of pried."

"You weren't," Mirana insisted, "I took my Vows because I realized when I was a little girl that the darkness inside of my sister was inside of me too. I…I got so angry when I was a little girl that all the servants thought I was going to end up just as cruel as Iracebeth. Then my mother died and she told me before she did to be the good daughter and win the kingdom from Iracebeth so that Underland wouldn't be in danger of a cruel monarch. So, I took my Vows and won Underland from my father. But…all that anger and hatred is still here," she gently touched her breast where her heart lied underneath. "Tarrant is the only person who knew me then, back when he lived with his father and mother who were the royal hatter and dressmaker then. I work hard to keep myself happy and free of my darkness. I…I just get scared that it will get out one day."

"Maybe you need someone to help keep you in check," Kendric whispered. Mirana looked up. They were only inches apart. A smile spread across both their lips and they kissed, not unlike a certain hatter and champion only days earlier.

"You could stay," she murmured.

"I can't," Kendric said standing. He turned so that she couldn't see his face. "I've got my own demons that would prevent me from doing so."

'I love you' was the one thing that they both wanted to say, but fear and self-doubt kept them from doing so. They both assumed that the other could never truly love them in return. Well, you know what they say about the word assume and what it makes people into.

* * *

Tarrant kissed the tip of Alice's nose. He leaned close and whispered a request to join him on the balcony in her ear. Alice nodded happily and briefly forgot that it was Mei he wanted, not Alice. As she followed him, she didn't see a dark redheaded servant look at her, recognizing her. She didn't see the servant pour a vile of liquid into a wineglass. She took Tarrant's hand as they went outside. Then, she noticed his nervousness.

"Tarrant, what's wrong?" Alice asked.

"I was going to wait until the unmasking at the witching hour," Tarrant explained, "but I simply cannot wait any longer, my dear Mei."

"Wait for…what?" Alice began to feel as uneasy and nervous as the hatter looked.

"I love you, Mei," Tarrant said, his voice a little louder as he gained confidence. "I've loved you since the first time we've danced together." Alice's face turned the exact same shade of white as her dress.

"You w-w-w-what?" She managed to stammer. Tarrant seized her face and kissed her passionately.

"I love you," Tarrant said once more. "I want you to marry me."

"Marry you!" Alice exclaimed. She pulled away from Tarrant. "T-T-Tarrant, I'm…I'm so fla-flattered."

"Then say yes," Tarrant said in his Scottish brogue.

"I-I-I need a moment." Alice then said before running from him as fast as she could, a brief image of running from Hammish when _he _proposed to her popped into her mind. _I need to get out of here_, she thought frantically_, I need to find Kaden!_

She called out his false name and pushed her way through dancing couples who shoved her away rudely. She took a glass of wine from a butler and drank from it. She called out for Lord Kendric, but was unable to find him. Fear grabbed at her heart. Tarrant…Hatter, no…_he_ wanted to marry her. No, not her. Tarrant wanted to marry Mei, but Hatter had no interest in marrying the real her, Alice. Alice groaned. She feared that she was becoming as mad as Hatter was. No, he wasn't Hatter he was Tarrant, but then again, only Mei called him Tarrant. Alice called him Hatter. She wasn't supposed to make him fall in love with her. He wasn't supposed to propose marriage!!! In her distracted frenzy, Alice didn't realize she had stumbled into the crowd of performers that Mirana had hired for the evening. They stared at her with wide eyes of bewilderment and Alice gasped in fright. She pushed her way away from the performers and called out for Kaden again. Then, she heard Tarrant call out for her. Alice ran faster. Then, she saw Kaden standing near Mirana. She called out for Lord Kendric and Kaden looked at her. He saw her look of fear and concern and began to talk to Mirana. Alice heard Tarrant and began rushing to the door. She needed to get away from there, she needed to get away from him.

"Madam," a woman said, "you look quite frazzled. Why don't you drink this, you'll feel better."

"T-Thank you," Alice said taking the glass from the woman whose face was hidden by hair. From the clock above the door to the entry hall, Alice heard the clock chime midnight. She took a deep drink and managed to drink the entire glass quickly. The maid took her glass and walked away somewhat happier than when she had approached Alice.

"Alice," Kaden grabbed her arm, "what's wrong? Mirana… Alice? Alice, are you okay?"

"Mei, there you are!" Tarrant said approaching them. "Who are you?" He demanded when he saw Kaden.

But Alice never noticed any of this. She moaned quietly and put her hand to her face making her mask move up her face slowly. She looked over to the woman and saw that her hair had parted showing her face. Shock, anger, and fear filled her. Minerva! She had escaped…Alice grabbed her stomach with her free hand as pain shot through her. Her heart began pounding inside of her chest and that's when realization hit her hard. Minerva had offered her wine. She knew that Mei was Alice. The ex-servant turned and smiled at Alice. The room began spinning and Alice's hand slipped further up her face. She had been poisoned and the poison must have been something that had no taste and worked fast. She was going to die. Then, a mad idea slipped through the haze. If Alice was dying, so was Mei. She didn't have to worry about giving Tarrant an answer to his proposal because now she wasn't going to live long enough to see the end of the witching hour. She heard Ailia and Dita scream and rush to her. They seemed to know exactly what was going on just by looking at her.

"Alice! Alice!" They both had exclaimed.

"That's not Alice!" Tarrant objected angrily. He looked at her. "She's Mei. Mei, tell them."

"I-I…" Alice managed to say. Her breaths were coming in fast short gasps now. "I don't feel very well."

As soon as those words she collapsed. Tarrant managed to grab her body as the silver and white glittering mask fell to the floor.

"Alice…" Tarrant gasped in a rare emotion made up of mixed anguish, horror, and disbelief as he gently laid her down. Kaden knelt down beside her and took off his own mask. Then, he looked up and saw Nivens, who said his name, and Mirana, who looked back from Nivens to him in disbelief and heart-wrenched betrayal. They were caught. Maybe it would have been better if they had both been poisoned.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, two chapters in such a short period of time. I thought I was going to have a lot of problems writing this, but it was kind of interesting to write. Now the Tarrant/Alice fangirls can see why I am so nervous about uploading this since Alice is poisoned. I can already see the Alice X Hatter fanclub in my front yard with flaming torches and pitchforks. Well (gulps), leave reviews and I'll get started on the next chapter. BTW, the assume thing is something I read in one of my reviews and it's also something my dad tells me. "Assume makes an a-- out of you and me." I thought it would be somewhat fitting there.  
**


	11. Ten

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland © Lewis Carroll.**

Ten

Tarrant ignored the gasps and screams that occurred after Alice collapsed. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. An odd sense of relief came to him, but only for a moment. The Mei that he had lusted after and had fallen in love with was the Alice that he had always truly loved. Then, he realized that the Alice he had always loved was dying. She was taking soft ragged breaths now and he was scared. He couldn't lose her, not now. He gently picked up her limp body and held it close to his own. Her head lolled to one side and he feared that she was in fact dead. Then, he smashed his head to her breast and listened heart. It was still beating, but it was very weak.

"I told her," a woman cackled, "I told her I'd kill her and now I have."

"Minerva," Mirana said, her voice unusually shaky, "what have you done?"

Something was wrong. Tarrant knew that and he was a mad hatter. The woman, Minerva, was not the same woman she had been when she had kissed him in the kitchen of the castle what seemed like years earlier. She had tried to kill Alice twice before, but had succeeded now. Now, she had a jagged bright red scar on her face from the right side of her hairline to the left side of her chin. Just from the look in his eyes, Tarrant realized that she was madder than he was and her madness was a lot more dangerous that his was. Oh! If only he had known. If he had known she was going to hurt Alice, if he had known Alice was Mei…maybe she would still be alright. Maybe she wouldn't die. Mirana had an empty look in her eyes and her voice was not one of horror, but wonder. He remembered what she was like when they were children. She had been just like the Red Queen when they were children. If Tarrant remembered correctly, Iracebeth was nineteen and Mirana had been thirteen when Mirana had taken her Vows never to harm another living thing when she had been accepted into Underland's School of Herbology and Potion-Making, which had been destroyed by the Jabberwocky on the Horunvendush Day. Iracebeth hadn't needed any Vows when she had begun taking lessons in Dominion of Living Creatures.

"Well, dead is dead." Minerva quipped. Tarrant felt his madness flare into rage, but didn't dare move in case he hurt Alice more.

"Alice, dear Alice, Darling Alice," he begged in a whisper, "please open your eyes. Please, Alice, open your eyes. Let me see those beautiful blue eyes…at least one more time!"

"Guards, grab her." Mirana said, her voice cool and calm. The guards seized Minerva and held her roughly. Mirana slowly walked towards them. "Minerva of Marmoreal, I hearby banish you from Underland. You can go to the Outlands with your beloved Red Queen."

"But…" Minerva said. Mirana paid her no mind. Instead, she majestically waved her hand and turned to Nivens.

"Go to the infirmary and tell the Head Healer that we'll need an antidote to the poison Alice took," she said.

"Alice didn't do it on purpose," Tarrant objected.

"Tarrant, follow Nivens. Take Alice with you."

Mirana turned around and disappeared into the crowd. The man stood up and stared after her. Then, he looked at Tarrant. Very coldly, Tarrant told him that it would be best if he left. Then, he scooped Alice up and carried her to the infirmary.

A few hours later, Alice was sleeping soundly on an infirmary bed. Tarrant sat next to her and laid his head on the bed when he began to feel tired. Mirana had not come by to see how Alice was doing, but the healer had assured Tarrant that Alice would be just fine. Then, Tarrant decided, Alice would come home with him and then they would talk about everything, including the lies she had told him. He stood and kissed Alice on the lips lovingly before sinking down into his chair again.

"Hatter," Mallymkun came up beside him, "you heard the healer. Alice'll be fine. You should come home and get some sleep."

"I won't leave her," Tarrant growled softly. "She…she might wake and I won't be here to…to…" He buried his face in his hands. "Alice needs me. She may not admit it, but I know. I love her so."

"We know, Hatter," Mallymkun said gently. "I'll go home and tell Thackery how she's doing and I'll be back in the morning."

"Alice," he moaned mournfully. He didn't even notice her leave.

* * *

Alice opened her eyes slowly, struggling to get used to the light. A soft moan slipped past her lips as she sat up. Tarrant was snuggled close to her side, fast asleep. Fear struck her as she remembered what had happened. Minerva had poisoned her, she should have been dead. Alice pulled the blankets off of her as she got out of bed.

"I'm alive," she breathed. Tarrant moaned only once, but didn't awaken. Alice quietly slipped out of the room so she didn't wake him. "I can't believe I'm still alive!"

"Of course you are, you stupid girl."

"Absolem!" Alice gasped quietly. "You're back!"

"Of course I am." The butterfly landed on Alice's shoulder. "You've seemed to have gotten yourself in quite a predicament…_again_."

Alice walked down the hall with Absolem sitting upon her shoulder. Despite how rude he was to her sometimes, she really had missed him. She took him to the garden and gently placed him on a leaf. She knelt down before him and asked him what her predicament was. Instead of answering her, Absolem started to smoke. After a few puffs, he looked her over.

"It's impossible to love someone with a heart of ice surrounded by a wall," he finally said.

"What…"

"Tarrant Hightopp loves you, but you won't allow him to," the caterpillar clarified for her in annoyance. "Something has happened that made you put a wall around your heart."

"No," Alice violently shook her head, "nothing has…"

_"What if your wife catches us?"_

_"Don't worry about Margaret."_

_"Lowell Manchester!" _

_"How dare you! How dare you cheat on my sister again! I'm telling her right now!"_

_"Don't you dare, Alice!"_

"Lowell!" Alice growled. "I'm rid of him and he's still ruining my life! He…he ruined me." Alice wrapped her arms around her body and trembled, "How can I go back and face Tarrant when I can't let myself love him?"

"You stupid girl," Absolem took another puff. "Due to present circumstances, I would suggest that you come back from where you came from...and don't come back."

"Don't come back?" Alice gasped. "Why not?"

"Because Queen Mirana is waiting for you to recover so that she can arrest you," the blue caterpillar said. "She believes you and a 'Lord Kendric' plotted against her."

"But I never…"

"She was in love with him and she believes that he loved you all along. She's jealous and this is the only way she knows how to resolve the problem."

"W-What's her r-resolve?" Alice asked uneasily.

"Banishment," Absolem replied.

"How do I go home?" Alice said suprising herself.

"The same way you did last time, Jabberwocky blood." Absolem sighed, "Must I solve every problem you come up against?"

"You don't solve _every_ problem I have." Alice whispered ashamedly.

"If I were you," he said, "I would leave before the White Queen finds out you have gotten better. That is, unless you want to spend the rest of your life in the castle dungeon or the Outlands."

Alice headed to the kitchen, but she realized that going back to England was the best idea. She could finally tell Margaret what Lowell did and then maybe she could say her finally say goodbye to her mother. That is, if she decided to come back to Underland, which she wasn't very sure about if Mirana wanted to arrest her. When she reached the kitchen, she headed to the cabinet where Mirana kept her potions and potion ingredients. Alice searched until she found several vials of purple fluid. She took one and opened it. A foul smell filled her nose, but she put it to her lips anyway. She closed her eyes and drank half of the Jabberwocky blood. When she opened her eyes, she was not in the kitchen any longer. After being gone five months, she was in the front hall of her mother's home.

* * *

"Mother," Alice called, "I'm home!"

Alice had thought that her five months away from home would make her homesick. However, looking upon the familiar halls of her childhood, Alice felt homesick for the one place that she could not return to ever again. Already, she felt an aching empty hole in her heart, soon followed by a plaguing feeling of doubt. She couldn't help but wonder if Tarrant had wakened yet. He had looked so peaceful when he was asleep. She was taken from her thoughts when she saw her mother's skirts come down from the stairs.

"Alice!" Helen ran into the foyer and took Alice into her arms. "Where on Earth have you been? Margaret and I have been worried sick. Running off for a week without telling anyone!"

"I…I'm sorry, Mother," Alice whispered feeling tears come to her eyes, "It…It's a long story."

An hour later, Alice found herself in the garden having tea with her mother and Aunt Imogene, who was just as mad as ever. Helen tried to pick bits of information out of Alice, but her attempts seemed to be failing. During some parts of the tea, her daughter seemed happy and cheerful, offering a warm smile to Aunt Imogene every now and again. However, when confronted with questions about where she had been or just because Alice became quiet, sad, and distant. Then, Helen noticed something very odd about her daughter.

"Have you seen my Albert?" Aunt Imogene asked.

"No, Aunt Imogene," Alice smiled and patted her arm, "Prince Albert couldn't come today. He had his princely duties to attend to but he sends his love and apologies."

"Alice!" Helen gasped.

Alice smiled serenely at her mother. Helen was shocked, but she realized that she had never really seen her daughter so…peaceful. Alice was smiling so happily that Helen wondered if her daughter truly thought that supporting Imogene's behavior was…normal? She was not sure how to react to such a shocking statement.

"Mother, this tea is simply marvelous," Alice said suddenly, "the vanilla and honey makes it so…wonderful. You must give me the recipe. Tarrant would…" The smile on Alice's lips faded and the warm light in her eyes disappeared. Her bottom lip began trembling and she stared at the teapot in the middle of the table.

"Alice Kingsley," Helen began, "who is Tarrant?"

"Tarrant's…Tarrant's a very good friend of mine…a _very_ good friend of mine," Alice struggled to say, "He doesn't live in England, but he makes hats for the queen in his country. He's simply wonderful, Mother. The mercury made him a tad mad..." Alice paused and forced a smile, "but that's never bothered me one bit."

"Mercury, Alice?"

"Mother, mercury is used in felting hats. Too much can drive a person bonkers…he thought the dresses I made were lovely." Alice stopped talking and began staring at the tea pot again when Margaret ran into the garden a sulky Lowell coming behind her. When he saw Alice, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. Alice looked upon her brother-in-law with a look of such hatred that you would have thought that she wanted to kill him.

"Where have you been?" Margaret demanded.

"With friends," Alice replied solemnly, "Margaret, can I speak with you and Mother…in private?"

Once they were away from Lowell, Alice confessed to Margaret what Lowell had done. Margaret paled and asked Alice if she was sure and Alice had gravely nodded. While Margaret's eyes watered, she never cried. After all, upper class Victorian women never cried. It just wasn't proper. Alice felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders until Helen began telling Margaret about Alice's suitor, the royal hatter for country far away from England. With an even heavier heart than before, Alice returned home and locked herself in her room hoping to figure out how she felt about Tarrant.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, here's a chapter for all the people who were worried about Alice being dead.**


	12. Eleven

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland © Lewis Carroll**

**A/N: This ought to answer your question on whether or not Alice is going back to Underland or not. **

Eleven

By the end of the month, Margaret's marriage with Lowell was over. Alice was a little surprised at how quickly the marriage was resolved, but then again Lord Ascot knew a lot of good lawyers and was more than happy to help the Kingsleys. Margaret and Baby Lisey soon moved back into the Kingsley family home. Alice admired her older sister for being strong during her crisis. Alice couldn't help but feel lonelier and sadder with every passing day. She missed Tarrant terribly, but wondered if she was doing the right thing by cutting off all ties with him.

"Do you miss him?" Margaret asked one day. Even though her hair had lost its shine and her eyes had lost some of their light, she still seemed to have a strong light of determination behind her eyes that Alice envied. She held her daughter closer to her.

"Lowell?" Alice asked in disgust.

"No," Margaret shook her head, "I mean that man Mother told me about. It's not proper for a woman of your status to court a man of such…" Margaret stopped when Alice's eyes suddenly flashed angrily at her.

"Of such what, Margaret," she demanded. "It's not proper for a woman of my social status to court a lowly hatter? Margaret, Lowell Manchester is a man of high status, but look what happened to your marriage to him. Tarrant is a wonderful person! He's so gentle and kind and…" Alice stopped, trembling. _I love _him, she realized in _amazement, _Baby Lisey started crying. Margaret began soothing her.

"Alice, control yourself!" Margaret ordered. "Sometimes, dear sister, I think you are mad!"

Alice got up from the futon where she was seated. She wandered from the parlor and went to the garden. How dare Margaret judge sweet, gentle Tarrant! It didn't matter that he was a hatter. In Underland, Alice was not upper class. In fact, she was in the exact same social class as Tarrant. The idea was soothing to her. She took a seat among the flowers and tried to gather her thoughts.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lowell Manchester was sitting in the library of the Ascot home. Lord Hammish Ascot came in and locked the door behind him. Lowell stood, shook his hand, and thanked him for seeing him at such a late hour.

"I think we have something in common," Lowell said.

"Oh?"

"Alice Kingsley has humiliated both of us," the wicked man replied, "She's ruined my marriage with one of the wealthiest women in this part of London and she humiliated in front of every member of our social class when she refused your marriage proposal."

"Don't remind me," Hammish muttered.

"It's obvious that she's gone absolutely mad since she disappeared," Lowell added, "Someone like that doesn't belong with normal people like that. However, I don't think that Helen and Margaret realize how…_**sick**__ poor_ Alice is."

"Lowell…" Hammish began, "what…what are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say that Alice needs to go to a hospital, an asylum. Listen, I have some friends that work in the local sanitarium. If the two of us go to the Kingsley home, then we can convince them to send her away." Lowell gripped his hands into tight fists. "That bitch has made a fool of me for the last time."

"A-A sanitarium?" Hammish echoed. "Are you sure?"

"Don't be such a coward," Lowell growled. "Alice is mad, you've seen it yourself. She doesn't act normal like everyone else. She has silly notions in her head and says the maddest things out of the blue. In a few years, it could progress to where she's like Imogene Kingsley. You've met her. You know how she is."

Hammish eyes widened. He did know how mad Alice's Aunt Imogene was, but really couldn't believe that Alice was _mad_ necessarily. She was a little odd, but not mad enough to be sent to an asylum. Then again, maybe Lowell had a point. London didn't need another woman like Imogene Kingsley living amongst them.

"May-Maybe you're right," he admitted slowly.

"Why of course I am," Lowell said proudly. "Now, you just come to the Kingsley home Saturday night at seven and leave the rest to me."

* * *

Alice rushed around in her room and threw several dresses in a suitcase. Once the suitcase was shut she walked to the mirror on the wall and stared into it. A smile came to her lips and she said four words that sent chills down her spine. However, she found herself liking it and she said them again. Then she went to her desk and wrote on her list. The list was one of pros and cons about Tarrant. If she had more cons than pros, she would remain in the Other World and live like a proper upper class woman. On the other hand, if her list of pros was the longer list, she would risk her life by drinking the rest of the Jabberwocky blood and return to Underland so that she could tell Tarrant how she felt. Alice finished the list and smiled. The list of pros was much larger. Alice smiled and then said the four words one more time.

"I love Tarrant Hightopp."

The past month had been one of difficulties for Alice. She had tried to resume her life, but she found herself missing her true home. She missed Underland and all of its inhabitants, especially Tarrant. Certain sounds and sights made her melancholic and homesick for her Wonderland. Tea parties in the afternoon seemed much more boring without anyone throwing teacups, sugar cubes, or even the first scone. She couldn't see the trolley in London without missing the monthly trip to the beach with the twins and Kaden. She couldn't hear clattering dishes without thinking about Thackery. At tea parties, she would look at where the head of the table should be and where Tarrant should have sat. In her mind, she would repeat some of his riddles while staring at a tea pot, waiting for Mallymkun to pop out. There was still doubt in her mind. Alice was still, deep down, afraid that Tarrant would betray her like Lowell betrayed Margaret, but she couldn't imagine being anywhere but near him. Now the only other thing that she was truly afraid of was him never wanting to see her again because of what she did to him.

"Alice, darling, can you come down here?" Helen called. Her voice was a little shaky, but Alice shrugged it off. Ever since Margaret's marriage ended, she was always crying. Her eldest daughter was not a divorcee with a baby and her youngest daughter was in love with a hatter. Alice took her suitcase and put it in the hall next to the hallway mirror. She then began to go downstairs.

"I would be very wary if I were you," Absolem said taking a perch upon her shoulder half way. "I suggest returning back where you belong."

"I thought you said that I should stay here," Alice replied in a whisper.

"Banishment would be better than what they have planned for you," the butterfly flew off her shoulder, but his words seemed to weigh her down.

"What are you talking about, Absolem," Alice demanded, "What do they have planned?"

Instead of answering her, Absolem disappeared upstairs. Alice crossed her arms and went down the rest of the stairs. When she entered the parlor, she felt uneasy about what she saw. Her mother and sister were sitting on the fainting sofas while Hammish and Lowell were standing by her father's old desk. Two men were standing in front of the desk. Alice suddenly knew that Absolem had been warning her. She was in danger. Her eyes flashed to her mother.

"Mother," Alice asked, "what's going on? Who are these men?"

"Alice, love," Helen began, "W-We've, Margaret and I, have noticed that you…you haven't been yourself since you've disappeared. You've been talking to yourself, secluding yourself, you're moody, you're unresponsive to anyone."

"When Aunt Imogene talks nonsense, you encourage her like it's normal," Margaret added, "Alice, Lowell has come and voiced his concerns, so has Hammish. We all think that…we think that maybe you should go and…and take a vacation of sort."

"A vacation?" Alice asked in disbelief. "Why are you listening to Lowell? He cheated on you, Margaret!"

"He's worried about you," her sister replied. "Stop being so apprehensive!"

"Miss Kingsley," one of the men began, "you have a very common condition. It's normal for you to be defensive."

"Where do you work?" Alice demanded viciously. She swirled around and looked at her mother. "Mother, do not tell me that people from an _asylum_ are here for me."

"Miss Kingsley," the other man said, "we prefer the term 'mental hospital.'"

"A mental hospital! You want to send me to a bloody mental hospital?" Alice shouted. "I'm not mad!"

"Miss…"

"Shut up!" Alice screamed. "Shut up! Stop calling me that! I don't belong in an asylum! Lowell is behind this, Lowell…" Alice stopped yelling. She looked upon her ex-brother-in-law's calm face. He didn't even seem fazed by her outburst. In fact, it seemed to please him. He _wanted _her to go to an asylum. _If Tarrant was here,_ Alice thought, _he'd would convince my family that there was nothing wrong with me. He'd fight Lowell to protect me._ It suddenly clicked in Alice's mind. Why on Earth would she think that Tarrant would do something like Lowell. Tarrant was a loving, gentle man, a little odd but that never really mattered. Lowell was a lying, scheming man that wasn't fit to lick her sister's shoes. Now Absolem's words really made sense. If she went to Underland, she would be banished to the Outlands, but at least she wouldn't be locked in a white padded room in a straight jacket. Alice trembled in the doorway and thought of her suitcase in the hallway. Alice then turned around and ran upstairs. Her mother called after her and she heard someone run after her. Alice tripped on the staircase but managed to stand up again. She was almost to her suitcase when someone shoved her to the ground.

"Alice, you're acting ridiculous," Lowell snarled, "why don't you just come along quietly."

"Lowell, why are you doing this?" Alice asked trying to pull away from him.

"You ruined my marriage and humiliated me!" Lowell hissed in her ear. Alice elbowed him in the face and clawed towards the suitcase. Lowell scrambled to his feet and grabbed her before throwing her to the ground, making her hit a sharp corner of the wall molding. Pain seared through her face, but she didn't cry out. Lowell jerked her up and began to pull her away. Alice began screaming for help. She didn't want this. She wanted to go home, her _real_ home.

"Help! Mother," Alice begged, "I'm not mad. Please, don't send me away!"

"This is for your own good, Alice." Lowell said venomously. "Now. Come. ON!" He began jerking her towards the stairs.

"Let me _**GO**_!"

Alice brought her elbow up to his face again and hit him as hard as she possibly could. Lowell tumbled to the floor and Alice ran back to the hallway to get her suitcase. Maybe after she got it, she'd have something better to strike him with. Her suitcase was next to the mirror. As she bent down to pick it up, someone grabbed her and pulled her towards them. Alice thought that it was one of the orderlies and tried to fight back. She tried clawing at them with her fingernails and hitting them with her suitcase.

"Let me go," she snarled, "I'm not going to a sanitarium. I'm not going!"

"Alice," the person said, "It's me."

"Tarrant," Alice breathed.

For the first time in a month, Alice looked upon Tarrant's face. It felt unreal. Very slowly, she reached out and touched his face. The warm skin underneath her fingers felt nice. Tarrant's eyes turned yellow as he looked at her face. He gently touched her face and she gasped in pain. When his fingers came back away from her face, she saw that his fingers were covered in blood. Tarrant growled in Outlandish under his breath. Alice smiled and kissed him.

"I missed you," Alice whispered when they parted putting her arms around Tarrant's neck.

"Promise that you'll never leave me again," he ordered quietly. "I couldn't bear to lose you again."

"I promise," Alice said.

* * *

**A/N: Here is the latest chapter. Alice has returned to her Tarrant (at long last). This time it's permanent. I'm not planning on her going back to London any time soon. I have a new poll up for this chapter on my profile page. Check it out and send me some feedback.**


	13. Twelve

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland is not mine.**

Twelve

"What is this place?" Alice asked Tarrant.

"The Hall of Mirrors," he explained using a handkerchief to wipe blood from the scrape on her head from where she had fallen. "It can let you see anywhere in Underland and in the Other World. In some cases, you can even use it to go from one place to another. See, that's the mirror I pulled you through."

"How strange," Alice said looking at the mirror. On the other side, Lowell and the orderlies were looking for her. "Stupid Lowell."

"What was he trying to do?" Tarrant asked.

"He was going to send me to a terrible place where they put mad people. They lock them away from the rest of the world and bind them so that they can't move freely and all they do is sit in a locked room all day." Alice explained.

"You aren't mad," he objected.

"My family thinks I am." Alice sighed.

"We need to talk, Alice," Tarrant said quietly. Alice bit her lip and avoided his eyes.

"We do," she finally agreed.

They sat in the Hall of Mirrors for what felt like hours. Alice finally told Tarrant everything starting from when she left for China and ending with when he pulled her through the mirror. She thought that he would say something between each bit of information she gave him or become angry, happy, or concerned at all the proper (and improper) times. That wasn't the case. He was very quiet and still. He didn't move or speak until she was done talking. His eyes never even left her face. Then, he spoke slowly and quietly, so quietly that Alice had to strain to listen to him even in the small room.

"You…you didn't think I loved you?" Tarrant asked. "Alice…I've always loved you, ever since you stumbled into my tea party with Chessur, when you were too small."

"You did?!" Alice asked in surprise. She had never noticed this. He had never given any signals or hints that he had ever felt that way.

"Of course," Tarrant said. "I just never thought you cared for me that way." Tarrant kissed the tip of Alice's nose. This one gesture scared her, but she enjoyed it too. It was the first time that he had kissed her knowing that she was her, not Mei.

"I'm so sorry that I lied to you, Tarrant," Alice apologized. "I should have never done that to you. You didn't deserve it."

"Well," Tarrant said standing up and crossing his arms, "It's going to take a very long time for me to be able to forgive you, Alice."

"I…I understand." Alice said quietly, staring at the floor.

Tarrant took out his pocket watch and stared at it for several minutes. Ashamed, Alice didn't move a muscle. She sat on the floor of the Hall of Mirrors and mentally traced the designs on the mosaic floor. Who knew how long it would take Tarrant to forgive and trust her again: weeks, months, years…_decades_? Alice listened to the quiet ticking of the pocket watch. She knew that she had to do something to make it up to him, but what?

"Well, that's that." Tarrant said shutting the watch and putting it away in his jacket.

"What do you mean?"

"All is forgiven and forgotten." Tarrant said. He helped Alice up to her feet.

"You said…it was going to take a long time for you to be able to forgive me." Alice breathed. "It was only a few seconds."

"Time, shmine," Tarrant said in a board tone waving his hand in the air. "We've never gotten along, Time and me. Let's go home, My Alice."

"That sounds wonderful, My Tarrant."

Tarrant took his hat off his head and placed it on Alice's head, careful to tuck her hair up underneath it. He explained that the Oraculum had foretold her return and Mirana, still upset at Alice's so called "betrayal" had set up her guards around certain places in Underland. Tarrant didn't want anyone recognizing her and taking her away from him. He took her hand and led her out of the room. Alice gasped as she recognized the room he had taken her too. It was the Room of Doors, but there was no key, no Pishsalver, and no Upelkuchen. She began to ask him how they were going to leave when he opened another door and took her through another door.

"Those doors never opened for _me_!" Alice gasped.

"They're quite choosy." Tarrant shrugged.

The door led them to a small clearing in Tugley Wood. From there, he took her to the hat shop. Alice finally felt like she had come home after such a long time. She walked through the dark front room into her old bedroom. It was very dark with only small tendrils of moonlight slipping through the curtains on the small room. However, she saw that no one had disturbed anything since the last night she had been in it, the seventh night of the festival. Even the wrinkles on bed sheets from where Dita and Ailia had sat on her bed watching her get ready.

"How long have I been gone?" Alice asked remembering that time was measured differently in Underland than in England as she wiped a layer of dust off the wardrobe.

"Six months," he replied sadly. "But I always knew you'd come home to me. Mally told me that I was madder than usual, but I knew."

Tarrant then smiled, but the sadness never left his eyes. Alice embraced him tightly, promising him once again that she was not going to leave him. Instead of answering, he looked around the room and told her that he wanted to move her things. Before Alice could ask him why, he explained that he and Mally were actually looking into hiring someone else and she wanted to room to be emptied out. Alice didn't know what to say, but asked a question anyway.

"Have you found someone to take my place?"

"No," Tarrant said, "but several women have asked for the job. Mally doesn't like them…come to think of it, I'm not very keen on hiring any of them."

"I wish I could do something," Alice whispered. "I'll help you move my things out of here."

"Suit yourself."

Tarrant moved all her things into the house in an empty bedroom on the second floor next to his room. Alice had never been inside of Tarrant's home. He explained that he built it after Frabjous day. The walls and floors were very new, but the walls were covered with old photographs and pictures and the floor was covered up with old frayed rugs and piles of fabric from his hats. The furniture inside the house was as mismatched as the china they had tea parties with and was just as worn and old. Alice smiled. She had never been in a nicer home. That night, after all her things were put away in her new room, she and Tarrant sat up in her room drinking tea. They listened to the crickets chirp in the woods and kissed in the moonlight. Alice wished that things would never change, but she wasn't that stupid to believe that it would come true.

* * *

The next morning, Alice picked at her plate, unable to eat. Thackery trembled nervously as he drank his tea and Mallymkun gave Alice dirty looks over her own teacup. Tarrant was at the head of the table drinking calmly, his eyes only on Alice. Mallymkun was angry that Alice had dared return after all the trouble she had caused. Thackery was nervous that they would be arrested alongside her when Mirana found out where she was hiding. Mally suggested that they send word to Mirana and come clean; she called it "cutting their losses." Tarrant's eyes turned dark yellow at this.

"You want her to go to the Outlands, Mallymkun?" Tarrant asked darkly. "You want her to go where all the _gollymoggers _and the_ frumious guddler's scuts_ are? After all she did for you…for us?"

"We'll be taken away along with her!" The dormouse snarled. "They'll close the shop and we'll be locked up forever."

"She's right, Tarrant," Alice said quietly, the first words she had spoken all morning. "It's not fair for you to be punished for my mistakes. I can leave. I can go somewhere south…Snud maybe. I thought that I would go and look for Kaden, actually. If I found him, we could go to Mirana together and explain everything to her. She'd be more likely to believe us then."

"Maybe you should leave," Mallymkun said, "and do us all a favor."

Alice stood up and went upstairs. She had begun packing her smaller suitcase, the one she had originally taken to Underland, when she heard Tarrant come in behind her. His eyes had taken the saddest blue color she had ever seen. He said nothing and made absolutely no movement, but Alice knew what was on his mind. She had promised him the day before that she wasn't going to leave him and now she was breaking her word.

"Do you really have to leave?" Tarrant asked.

"What kind of life would we have here," Alice asked him cynically. "You would make hats all day and I would have to live in the top floor of this house until the end of my days. We could never get married or have a family. We would never be able to go anywhere together save my bedroom and yours. If I can do this…If I can get Kaden and go to Mirana and clear my name…" Alice kissed him and buried her head in his shoulder. Tarrant sighed heavily.

"Then I shall be right here," he replied, "waiting for you until you return to me. I love you, Alice. _Fairfarren_."

"And I love you," Alice whispered, "and I'll be back soon. _Fairfarren_."

Leaving Tarrant was the hardest thing that Alice ever had to do. Years later, she could still shut her eyes and see him standing in the doorway of the hat shop watching her go. The look on his face would never leave her memory. But Alice was doing this for him. The sooner she was in the White Queen's good graces, the sooner she could start a new life with the man she loved and forget about the Other World all together.

* * *

Alice walked into the tailor's shop and saw Ailia working behind the counter. Alice walked up towards it and pretended to be busy looking at some buttons on display.

"Can I help you?" Ailia asked boredly.

"I'm looking for someone," Alice whispered lowly. The other girl's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Al…" Ailia began, but stopped herself. "What are you doing here? Why have you come back?"

"I need to find Kaden," Alice replied. "I need to make things right."

Ailia took her to a room in the back of the shop. She explained that after Alice left, Kaden was fired and then arrested for Unlawful Seduction. Instead of being banished to the Outlands, he was banished to Northern Queast where his family resided. He had been humiliated and shamed and never wished to see Alice again should she ever return to Underland. Alice took this news with a heavy heart, but she couldn't leave it at that. She had to see Kaden and apologize to him. They _had_ to go to Mirana and explain everything that had happened. They had to tell her that they were just friends and not lovers. That it was _Mirana_ that Kaden loved, not _Alice_. Alice asked Ailia where in Northern Queast Kaden was. The twin hesitated, not even able to look in Alice's eyes. Alice asked again, then again.

"I…I promised him that I wouldn't tell you," she struggled to say. "I'm sorry, Alice."

"Ailia…" Alice begged.

"You have to leave." Ailia stood up. "If the White Queen finds out I've spoken to you, I'll be banished like Kaden was…and like you will be. Now go."

Alice hesitated for a few minutes before standing and leaving the shop. She didn't blame Ailia. She was scared. Alice would have been scared too if she had been in such a situation herself. She knew where Kaden was now, she just had to pinpoint where he was exactly. After all, Tarrant was waiting for her. She left the tailor's shop and walked to Queast. She wandered for a week before she reached the Crimson Sea. Memories of the beach parties and secret "kidnappings" flooded her as she looked upon the familiar shores. She wandered to the waves and stood in the waters.

"I'm sorry, Kaden," she whispered to herself. "If I hadn't of taken the poison, this would have never happened."

"Hey, you!" Someone shouted. "What the hell do ya think you're doing out there!? Can't ya see there's a storm a'brewin'? If you aren't careful, the tide'll carry ya away!" A man was standing on the edge of the beach near the dirt road into town.

"I was resting," Alice shouted back tromping back to shore. "I've come such a long way. I'm looking for a friend of mine, Kaden Moreston?" She stopped a few feet away from him. Suddenly, the man's hard face softened for a moment, but only a moment.

"Ah, I know who ya are," he sighed. "You're Alice. Well, come with me. I'll take ya to him."

"Thank you, sir." Alice said in disbelief, noticing how he talked like the captain of the _Wonder_ and wondered if he was a seaman himself. "If you don't mind my asking, how do you know Kaden?"

"He's my son."


	14. Thirteen

**Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland © Lewis Carroll**

**A/N: Just a quick note. When I call Kaden romantic in the first paragraph, I'm not talking about the "love" romantic. I mean more of the 19****th**** century artistic romantic (departed from classicism and emphasized sensibility, the free expression of feelings, nature, and interest in other cultures).**

Thirteen

Kaden's father was a seaman indeed. He didn't smile very much and he didn't say a lot. Alice, however, found his precence to be very calming after being alone for a week. However, she noticed that he was the exact opposite of his optimistic romantic son. His light blonde hair was streaked with silver and his light blue eyes were framed with baggy wrinkles and stress lines. His face was leathery and weathered with time while his gait mirrored someone half his age. He carried himself with strength but walked somewhat slowly. He led her to a cliff where a tiny house stood on the very edge. In front of the house was a large vegetable garden ready for harvesting. As soon as they were a few feet from the gate, Alice heard screaming.

"Give it back, give it back! It's _mine_!" A little girl with light blonde hair raced out into the garden running after a boy that looked like a younger version of Kaden who was carrying a cloth doll. The boy ran behind Mr. Moreston and stuck his tongue out precociously at her.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers," he called out.

"Oh, Daddy, Daddy," the girl wept, "He took my dolly!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Acton, give your sister her doll back," Mr. Moreston said in his usual grow. The boy gave up the doll without another word, but stuck his tongue out again when he was sure his father wasn't looking. "Come with me, Miss Alice."

He led her inside the house into the kitchen. Alice looked around the house and realized what kind of world her friend had come from. Everything looked worn and second hand. What wasn't worn was broken and then hastily repaired or still broken. A woman was cutting vegetables at the counter with her back to the entrance. Alice wasn't sure that she even knew they were there until she turned around and Alice was able to see her face. Her facial features were almost identical to Kaden's. Her light colored hair was tucked up into a tight bun while her light green dress was obviously worn and frayed like everything else in the house. Her green eyes had a maternal light to them, one that comforted Alice. Mrs. Moreston wiped her hands on her apron and gave Alice a warm smile.

"You're late, dear," she gently scolded her husband, "I was worried about ya. Ah, ya must be Alice."

"Yes, ma'am," Alice said quietly.

"We've heard so many wonderful things about ya from Kaden," Mrs. Moreston replied. "It's wonderful to finally meet ya."

Alice wished that she could say the same thing to her, but Kaden never talked about his family. She had never realized until that moment how private Kaden really was about his personal life. He never talked about having any siblings and not once had even mentioned his mother and father. Alice heard the door slam and saw several people rush in and out of the kitchen. Alice wasn't sure that she could even count all of them. Then, Mrs. Moreston explained that there were six people, all of which were Kaden's brothers and sisters, but two of his sisters were married and living with their families. Alice couldn't believe it. Never before had she seen so many blood-relatives living under one room. The largest family she had ever seen had five children, not _ten_. His family was lower class too. It was no wonder he was fine with working as a servant. He was already used to having working hard and having no privacy.

"Alice?"

"Kaden!" Alice exclaimed. "I'm so happy to see you."

Kaden took her outside and he told her about what happened since she disappeared. He had been fired from his job at the castle, arrested for "unlawful seduction", and then banished. When Alice tried to apologize, Kaden stopped her with a sad smile. He said he was lucky to be banished to the place he had been raised in rather than going to the Outlands. Alice hugged her legs to her body. She felt terribly guilty for what happened to him. Then, she suggested her idea to him.

"Alice, I don't think that's a good idea," Kaden said. "We'll be shipped off to the Outlands. At least here, I've got a job…"

"You don't sound _happy_ to be living with your parents," Alice pointed out. "What do we have to lose?"

"Banishment," Kaden said, "for starters. Then, you'll meet up with the Red Queen, Stayne, and Minerva. All of which, I'll remind you, hate you and would love to kill you."

"Kaden," Alice begged, "if we could go back to Mirana and this works…I can go back to Tarrant."

"_Please_," Kaden groaned, "don't pull the guilt card on me! I am happy here! I'm living in a three bedroom house with my four brothers and I work at the docks where I get to meet some of the seafood that ends up on the dinner table…Okay, I'm miserable here! I hate living with my parents, I hate working at a place where I have to kill poor defenseless animals and I have officially decided that I am never eating seafood again."

"Think about Mirana!" Alice knew that she had Kaden, she just needed to reel him in. "She's angry because she thinks you love me. That means that she jealous, which means that she loves you!"

"Why are you women so complicated?" Kaden exclaimed. "Man, no wonder the Red King go killed."

"As a _complicated_ woman," Alice growled, "I think I take offense to that."

"Well," Kaden blushed, "I didn't mean _you_ in specific, but…aw forget it. I grew up with five sisters and I _still_ don't understand women."

Alice couldn't help but laugh. It was great to have her best friend back again. She still missed Tarrant, but at least she wasn't as lonely anymore. They talked from _brillig_ until sundown. Alice missed him, but wondered why he was being so pleasant if he never wanted to see her again. She asked him about it and he revealed that Mirana was much more lenient on him when she thought he hated Alice. Alice hated bringing up Mirana because Kaden's eyes grew sad every time she was mentioned. It was obvious that he and Mirana loved each other, but Minerva's revenge had ruined everything for them. Oddly enough, the whole ordeal seemed to have finally brought Alice and Tarrant together only to tear them apart. But at least Tarrant was faithfully waiting for Alice. Kaden was all alone since Mirana banished him. It was just as painful watching Kaden miss Mirana as it was thinking about Tarrant back in Tugley Wood. Alice suggested her plan again. Kaden said no and stood up. Alice knew that he was scared and that he needed time to think about things…she just hoped that Tarrant could wait just a little longer. Kaden's parents let her stay at their home in a room with his three remaining sisters. To repay them, Alice worked in the house alongside Mrs. Moreston while everyone else was working or at the local school. The work didn't bother her compared to what she had to do when she worked in the White Castle. Finally, after a week, Kaden finally came around to the idea of going back to Marmoreal. Maybe he was tired of living with his parents. Alice couldn't blame him what with the torture that came with having five brothers. Alice thanked his parents for letting her stay with them and they prepared to leave when Mrs. Moreston stopped her.

"Alice," she said, "good luck to ya. Be careful now."

"Yes, Mrs. Moreston," Alice nodded, "we'll be fine."

"What will ya do when everything is all said and done?" Mrs. Moreson asked.

"If things work out well," Alice sighed contently, "I hope to return to Tugley Wood where the man I love lives. Then, we can have a life together."

"Love?" Kaden's mother asked, "Ya and kaden most really love your beloveds."

"We do," Alice said, "more than anything."

"Alice, before you leave," the older woman began, "just remember that love is a powerful ally. It can move mountains and help ya fight against the most dangerous foes. As long as you've got love in your heart, ya can do anything. If I've learned anything in all my years of marriage, it's that. If ya truly love someone and they truly love ya in return, everything'll work out fine."

"Thank you, Mrs. Moreston," Alice said, touched by her words.

"One more thing, Alice."

"Yes?"

"Kaden and his da don't get along these days," Mrs. Moreston confided, "When our children were younger, my husband taught them to stay away from romances in other social classes besides our own. It helps them stay away from too much heartbreak. Ya know how the upper class works."

"I do."

"Kaden always thought differently. He knew that he was meant to do something better than a fisherman or a farmer. Alice, look after him. He trusts ya more than ya can imagine. Don't let him be sent to the Outlands. We really do want him to visit again from time to time."

"I promise, Mrs. Moreston." Alice bowed her head. "I'll protect him as if he was my own. _Fairfarren._"

"_Fairfarren_," Mrs. Moreston said.

* * *

The Queast countryside was beautiful. It was filled with fields full of bright blossoming flowers both talking and silent and fields full of vegetables and fruit trees. Alice couldn't help but wonder why she had never gone to Queast sooner. Then she realized that she never really got to experience the full wonder of Underland. She always had to rush from one place to another. She never really had a chance to really relax and let things happen as they may. Afraid of getting arrested, they traveled at night and hid in the nearby forest or in empty barns. Each day, they drew closer and closer to Marmoreal. Each day, Alice grew a little more excited because her wait was almost over. She was almost back home to Tugley Wood.

"Where are we?" Alice asked Kaden one morning. "Pull out the map."

"Alright," Kaden reached into his knapsack and pulled out a map his father gave him. He laid it out in front of them and pointed to a tiny red dot on the map. By then, Alice wasn't surprised to see the map moving. Kaden had told her that in Underland, maps told you where you really were and they moved as borders changed and important cities were closed down or built and such like that. He pointed at the red dot right under the _Q_ in Queast.

"Just there?" Alice asked disappointedly. "Surely we've gone farther!"

"The map never lies," Kaden said simply. Alice crossed her arms across her chest.

"We've got to go. I've still got some strength in me," she insisted.

"But _I'm_ exhausted _**and**_ we're wanted fugitives. By now, they know that I'm not at work and I'm not with my parents." Kaden lay back on the bright green grass. "Violating the Queen's orders is against Underlandian laws. It'd be best if we rested for the night—morning, rather—and just try to get some sleep."

Alice, feeling sleepy herself, laid back on the grass a few feet away from Kaden. Her eyes grew heavier and heavier and finally, she fell asleep. As she slept, she dreamed about Tugley Wood and all that lived there. She dreamt of Tarrant and returning to him. She dreamt of doing what she had been procrastinating to do for months: opening her own dress shop. Then, her dream became a nightmare. She dreamt that Mirana still refused to believe them and then banished them both to the Outlands where the Red Queen, Stayne, and Minerva were waiting for them… Alice shot straight up breathing heavily. She looked around and couldn't see anyone except Kaden sleeping soundly on the ground only a few feet away. She moaned, stretched, and then lay back on the ground. Light streamed through the leaves in the trees in small strong beams. The forest floor was cool and the grass was as soft as a pillow. A soft breeze flowed through the trees and brushed against her face. Birds chirped above her and she heard animals move in the distance. She closed her eyes again and then let herself go back to sleep.

"Don't even move," someone said. Alice opened her eyes and saw the sharp point of a sword in her face only a few inches from her nose. A guard was standing over her holding the sword. Alice looked over and saw two other guards load a captured Kaden into the back of a wagon.

"I'll come along quietly if you get that sword out of my face," Alice snarled.

"You'll come along quietly even if I have to use this to cut out your damn tongue," the head guard snapped. "Now raise your hands."

Alice obeyed and heavy iron handcuffs were slapped onto her wrists. She was then roughly jerked up from the ground and loaded into the wagon behind Kaden. Two guards climbed in with them while the head guard climbed up with the driver. They were almost halfway to Marmoreal. Maybe they were only a couple weeks away at best, but now all they worked for was for nothing. They were arrested and they had no chance of coming up with a plan now. Alice pulled her knees close to her body and buried her head in her arms. She then felt someone sympathetically pat her shoulder and heard chains clanking.

"Everything will work out, Alice," Kaden said hopefully. "I mean, who has really seen the Outlands? For all we know, it's a tropical paradise."

"Yeah, hula girls and cabana boys, right?" Alice asked bitterly. "I don't want a cabana boy. I want Tarrant!"

"Enough chit-chat back there," the head guard shouted. "You both are under arrest." All Alice could think about was that Tarrant was waiting for her. Tarrant was waiting and she had no way of telling him that she had been arrested. How long would it be until he realized that she was never coming home? Alice couldn't stand the thought of it. The wagon took them to Marmoreal and the guards took them straight to Mirana's chambers. The White Queen looked so angry, so dangerous, and yet even Alice had to notice that she looked beautiful at the same time. She looked into Kaden's eyes with pure contempt. He looked at the floor and didn't say a single word. Alice looked straight at Mirana and didn't back down. She did absolutely nothing wrong and didn't deserve to be banished.

"You have some nerve coming back here, Alice," Mirana said icily.

"Mirana," Alice said, her voice quivering only a little, "we lied to you. We deceived you. But we did not plot against you. Kaden and I are like brother and sister. He loves _you_. That's why he came up with the 'Lord Kendric' idea."

"Oh really?" Mirana said unconvinced.

"I-It's true," Kaden whispered. Mirana's brown eyes widened, but she resumed her composure. "I lied to you because I was ashamed of who I was. If I had come to you as a servant, you wouldn't have given me the light of day. I'm lower class, you're the very highest class. Classes aren't meant to mix."

"You lied to me because you thought that I wouldn't accept you?" Mirana repeated in surprise. "Did you really think that it would have mattered to me?"

"I'm…I was a servant." Kaden insisted. "Servants marry servants, nobles marry nobles."

"Kaden," Mirana stood and approached him, "that's not always true. Look at Alice and Tarrant. He was raised lower class while Alice was raised upper class back in the Other World."

"That's right." Alice nodded.

Then, Mirana kissed Kaden. His eyes widen in shock, but he didn't move. Alice felt a wide grin come to her face. She knew that Mirana wouldn't have cared about Kaden's social status. The only problem that stopped them had been Kaden all along. When they parted, Mirana rushed to Alice and took Alice's hands in her own.

"Alice, I'm so sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry. I should have known that you, my Champion, would have never betrayed me. Guards, release them." The guards took off the handcuffs.

"Mirana," Alice said rubbing her now free wrists, "we're not going to be banished?"

"Of course not, my Champion," Mirana smiled. She took Kaden's hands in her own. "Kaden, can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course," Kaden replied. Alice smiled as she remembered what Kaden had said about _complicated women_.

Alice wished the couple best wishes and arranged for a carriage to take her back to Crims. The ride was slow, but at least it was faster than walking or even running. As soon as she saw Tugley Wood, she got out of the carriage and took off running, even though it was unladylike. _Almost there_, she told herself_, I'm almost there! Tarrant, I'm coming._ Alice pushed through the trees and vines until she saw a house in the distance. Then, she heard singing. "_Twinkle twinkle little bat..."_ Alice laughed in ecstasy and took off running towards the voices. She was almost there. Just a little farther and she could be with Tarrant once more. _"…how I wonder where you're at…"_ She broke through the trees and saw her favorite trio at the long rectangle table. _"up above the world so high, like a tea tray in the sky…_"

"Alice!" Mallymkun gasped.

"Alice!" Thackery began choking on his tea.

"Alice…" Tarrant breathed. Like when she had come to the tea party her second time in Underland, Tarrant got on top of the table and marched across. Alice ran towards him and threw her arms around him when they finally reached each other.

"I told you I would be back soon." Alice said triumphantly. "Kaden and I explained everything to Mirana. She dropped all the charges immediately. I came here as soon as I could."

"My Alice," Tarrant held her close. Alice sighed and knew that everything would work out great, just like Kaden's mother told her. Then, she felt him stiffen. Alice looked up at him and he frowned at her.

"Tarrant…"

"You're very late you know," he said bringing her onto the table, like the last time, "naughty."

Alice laughed and took her seat at the table, right next to her Hatter. She took a teacup from Thackery, thankfully unbroken, and caught two cubes of sugar from Mallymkun before accepting tea from Tarrant. She thought about Mrs. Moreston's words. _Just remember that love is a powerful ally. It can move mountains and help ya fight against the most dangerous foes. As long as you've got love in your heart, ya can do anything. If I've learned anything in all my years of marriage, it's that. If ya truly love someone and they truly love ya in return, everything'll work out fine._Yes, things were going to work out fine for Alice and Tarrant in the end. Alice was sure of it.

* * *

**A/N: And so ends another trial for Alice. Don't worry, fangirls, she's not going to be leaving her hatter for a long time. For now, I'm happy just writing fluff and romance between our favorite Champion and Hatter until…nah, I'll just keep this a secret for now. ;) **


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